PoK protests escalate: AAC calls for 'shutter-down' strike; govt clamps down
Awami Action Committee demands sweeping reforms prompting Islamabad to impose an internet blackout, deploy heavy security, amid fears of rising Azadi sentiment
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is reportedly witnessing massive protests, with the Awami Action Committee (AAC) launching region-wide demonstrations on Monday (September 29).
The AAC has called for a potentially indefinite “shutter-down and wheel-jam” strike, prompting Islamabad to deploy heavy security forces and cut internet access from midnight to curb mobilisation.
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AAC's 38-point charter
The AAC, a civil society alliance gaining strength in recent months, has rallied thousands under its banner, citing decades of political marginalisation and economic neglect.
Its 38-point charter demands sweeping reforms, including scrapping 12 legislative seats in the PoK assembly reserved for Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan, which locals argue undermines representative governance and gives Islamabad undue influence over PoK’s politics.
Other demands include subsidised flour to ease inflation, renegotiation of hydropower agreements for fairer tariffs linked to electricity from the Mangla and Neelum-Jhelum dams, and the delivery of long-promised reforms by Islamabad
"Our campaign is not against any institution but for the fundamental rights denied to our people for over 70 years," said Shaukat Nawaz Mir, a core AAC leader, addressing crowds in Muzaffarabad.
"Enough is enough. Either deliver on rights or face the wrath of the people," he added.
Fear of Azadi calls
According to media reports, both the Shehbaz Sharif government and Pakistan’s military fear the protests could evolve into calls for Azadi (freedom).
On September 27, large convoys of armed police and paramilitary units staged flag marches across major cities. Entry and exit points were sealed over the weekend, with surveillance tightened around sensitive sites.
Islamabad has also dispatched an additional 1,000 police personnel from the capital to reinforce local security forces.
"Peace is the collective responsibility of citizens and the administration," The Dawn quoted District Magistrate Mudasser Farooq, warning against any disruption of public life.
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Talks collapse
The protests come amid a breakdown in talks between the AAC and the local government, prompting the alliance to call for one of the largest demonstrations against the “decades-long denial of fundamental rights", according to Dawn.
Talks between the AAC and the local administration broke down after 13 hours when the group refused to compromise on eliminating elite privileges and refugee seats.
Mir confirmed the negotiations were “incomplete and inconclusive”, vowing to move ahead with the shutdown.
Ahead of the strike, traders's associations in Muzaffarabad opened shops on Sunday (September 28) so residents could stock up on food essentials before the shutdown, said reports.
Also Read: Cop killed, 90 wounded as protesters clash with security forces in PoK
Escalating conflict
Videos circulating on social media showed convoys of security forces moving into cities as citizens could be seen chanting slogans for freedom from Pakistan’s control.
While the AAC insisted that the agitation will remain peaceful, internet suspension and heavy security deployments indicated a tense standoff.
With internet services suspended and security forces on high alert, Monday’s standoff could prove to be a pivotal moment in PoK’s decades-long fight for political rights.
According to political observers, the region risks growing youth radicalisation against Pakistan if authorities attempt a violent crackdown.
There are also concerns that the PoK diaspora in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and across Europe may stage solidarity protests, further internationalising the issue.