The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) has formally written to the Pakistan Red Crescent Society, calling for urgent humanitarian and medical assistance in Rawalakot and other affected areas of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), as the region faces what the committee describes as a deepening crisis following events on 27-28 July.

A Humanitarian Emergency Declared

In its letter, the JKJAAC characterised the situation in PoJK as a 'serious humanitarian and medical emergency.' Reports received from affected communities point to civilian casualties, firearm-related injuries, disrupted ambulance routes, restricted hospital access, and acute shortages of medicines, blood supplies, and emergency trauma care.

According to the letter, the Jammu Kashmir Human Rights Observatory has documented cases where critically injured individuals were transported approximately 40 kilometres from Rawalakot to Palandri Hospital because local trauma care was unavailable or inaccessible. The committee noted that road closures, security cordons, and communications restrictions allegedly delayed the evacuation and treatment of injured civilians — findings it said remain subject to ongoing medical, family, and independent verification.

Communications Blackout Compounds the Crisis

Internet and telecommunications services in the region have reportedly remained severely restricted, leaving families unable to locate injured, detained, or missing relatives. The communications shutdown has also made it extremely difficult to coordinate emergency assistance on the ground, according to the JKJAAC letter.

What JKJAAC Has Demanded

The committee urged the Pakistan Red Crescent Society to deploy an independent emergency assessment and medical team in Rawalakot and other affected areas. Specific demands include the provision of ambulances, mobile medical units, trained first-aid personnel, and trauma-care supplies, as well as the establishment of temporary first-aid and emergency treatment points along affected routes and near major gathering areas.

Protests and Crackdown: The Broader Context

Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is currently witnessing what observers describe as the most extensive confrontation between the local population and the Pakistani state in decades. Protests reportedly began on 5 June and have continued to intensify. Protesters have alleged that Pakistani security forces launched a severe crackdown, with claims that more than 50 people have been killed and hundreds injured over the past several weeks. These figures have not been independently verified.

On the same day the letter was issued, the JKJAAC shared a video on X purportedly showing Pakistani forces dragging and assaulting an unarmed civilian in Muzaffarabad city. The committee called on the United Nations, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, international media, and diplomatic missions to examine the footage and press for an immediate, independent, and impartial investigation.

The JKJAAC also urged the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to closely monitor the humanitarian situation and ensure that injured civilians and others affected receive protection and assistance in accordance with its mandate.

Long March Continues Despite Crackdown

The long march that began on 9 June continued on Sunday, with residents of PoK participating despite weeks of reported arrests, killings, injuries, and intimidation. 'This movement belongs to the people. As long as those legitimate demands remain unmet, the voices of the people will continue to be heard,' the JKJAAC posted on X. The committee maintained that the movement is rooted in public demands for fundamental rights, justice, and the implementation of commitments made by the authorities.

With international bodies yet to formally respond, the situation in PoJK remains fluid, and advocacy groups are expected to intensify pressure on Islamabad and multilateral institutions in the days ahead.