The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has been spearheading the ongoing protest movement in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK), alleged on 14 August that two people were injured after Pakistani security forces opened fire on civilians in Rawalakot. The committee has called on international human rights organisations and global media to closely monitor the deteriorating situation on the ground.

The Firing Incident

The JAAC shared a video on X showing several individuals gathered in a room where a man was receiving medical treatment. In the footage, the injured man stated that security forces had opened fire on people in PoK, and vowed that protests would continue despite the crackdown. In its post on X, JAAC stated: “Two people have been injured following firing by security forces in Rawalakot. The use of force against civilians is deeply alarming. We call for an immediate end to violence and urge international human rights organisations and the media to closely monitor the situation on the ground.”

Mass Protests Sweep PoK

The alleged firing came as thousands of people took to the streets across multiple towns in PoK, including Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Bokhara, and Mandhol, in a show of solidarity with the JAAC. Demonstrators raised slogans such as “ye gundagardi na bhai na, ye daishtgardi na bhai na” and “awaaz do hum ek hai” — chants that have become rallying cries of the movement. Notably, a large number of women and children participated in rallies in Bokhara and the Mandhol area of Poonch district, carrying flags and chanting “Inquilab Ayega.”

JAAC posted on X: “Large number of women and children have joined the ongoing protest in Rawalakot, standing alongside their families and communities to raise their voices for fundamental rights, justice and the implementation of public demands. Their participation reflects how deeply this movement has reached across society.”

Roots and Scale of the Crisis

PoK is reportedly witnessing its most extensive confrontation between the local population and the Pakistani state in decades. What began as protests over surging electricity tariffs and the rising cost of essential commodities has evolved into a broader movement demanding political reforms, greater accountability, and representative governance. The Pakistani authorities have allegedly responded with deadly force, internet shutdowns, and what protesters describe as systematic police brutality.

According to JAAC member Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri, who spoke on 1 August, more than 50 people have been killed and hundreds injured during the crackdown by Pakistani forces in PoK. These figures could not be independently verified at the time of reporting.

JAAC’s International Appeal

The committee has repeatedly urged global human rights bodies to intervene, alleging that the Pakistani state’s response to civilian dissent has crossed into systematic repression. Several videos documenting alleged force by Pakistani security personnel have been circulated on social media over recent weeks, amplifying calls for international scrutiny. The JAAC has positioned this movement as a fight for fundamental rights, and the scale of participation — spanning men, women, and children across multiple districts — suggests the unrest has broad societal roots.

With protests showing no signs of abating, the situation in PoK is likely to remain volatile as the JAAC continues to press its demands for accountability and political reform.