Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is teetering on the edge of widespread civil unrest as the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has announced a major lockdown protest for 9 June over 38 unmet demands, according to reports. The call comes amid a sharp crackdown by Pakistani authorities, including the banning of the JAAC, internet blackouts, and the killing of a JAAC leader by security forces.

What Triggered the Protest Call

Frustration in PoK has been building for months over electricity shortages, runaway inflation, unemployment, resource exploitation, and political marginalisation. The Muzaffarabad Agreement of October last year — which was meant to address key grievances — has reportedly not been implemented in full. Critics have also pointed to the 12 'refugee' seats used by Islamabad to retain control over the region, the autonomy-curtailing 13th Amendment, and what they describe as a widening gap between Pakistan's public narrative about PoK and the repressive ground reality.

According to a report by Idrees Aftab for the Centre for Peace Studies, 'In so-called Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the situation is now turning increasingly serious. On 9th June, a lockdown protest call has been announced by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), accusing the Pakistani government of repeatedly betraying the aspirations of the people of the region.'

Key Demands and Planned Agitation

The JAAC's 38-point charter, unveiled in October last year by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JK-JAAC) — a coalition of traders, lawyers, and civil society groups — covers a broad range of socio-economic and governance grievances. According to a report in the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), the demands include restoration of a flour subsidy, control of inflation, withdrawal of unjust taxes, reservation of jobs for Kashmiris in Pakistan's federal government, cancellation of the PoK Bank's merger with the State Bank of Pakistan, abolition of toll plazas, a ban on timber smuggling, and construction of student hostels across various towns.

The committee has warned of shutter-down strikes, wheel-jam demonstrations, a long march, and an indefinite sit-in if its demands are not addressed. The JAAC has also urged residents to stockpile essential supplies for at least a month in preparation for a prolonged shutdown, and has announced that no political election rallies will be permitted in the region until authorities agree to their demands.

Violence, Crackdown and Communication Blackout

Tensions escalated sharply after Pakistani security forces allegedly opened fire on protesters near Khaigla Burma Bridge in Rawalakot, resulting in the death of JAAC executive member Shahzaib Habib and the injury of several others, according to the Centre for Peace Studies report. Protests have reportedly already begun in various parts of PoK ahead of the planned shutdown, reflecting deepening public anger.

Pakistani authorities have since banned the JAAC, declaring it a proscribed organisation and accusing it of involvement in terrorism, acting in a manner 'prejudicial to peace and security' of the state, and 'creating anarchy in the state by intimidating public, promoting hatred and creating a sense of insecurity in society.' Telecom and internet services in PoK have been suspended, and additional contingents of the Pakistan Federal Police and Pakistan Rangers have been deployed to Muzaffarabad ahead of the protest.

Civilian Casualties and International Appeal

JK-JAAC Core Committee member Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri has issued an appeal to international media and global human rights organisations, calling for immediate attention to the ongoing crisis. 'Since September 29, a peaceful public movement has been met with state repression, human rights violations, restrictions on civil liberties, and the killing of innocent civilians,' he said.

The JK-JAAC stated in a release in October last year that state forces and non-local personnel had carried out indiscriminate firing, killing at least nine unarmed civilians and injuring hundreds more. Since 28 September, the Pakistan government has reportedly enforced a complete communication blackout across PoK, suspending mobile networks, internet, and landline connections, effectively cutting off millions from the outside world.

What Comes Next

With the 9 June shutdown approaching and Pakistani authorities deploying additional security forces rather than engaging with JAAC's demands, the risk of a larger and more sustained wave of unrest appears significant. The situation in PoK will be closely watched by regional observers and human rights groups in the days ahead.