Thousands of protesters gathered at Eidgah Ground in Rawalakot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), on Tuesday, 30 June, openly declaring that the region is not part of Pakistan and demanding freedom from Islamabad's decades-long political control. The demonstration marks a sharp escalation in an unrest that has already left dozens dead, with what began as a local reform movement now crystallising into an open call for independence.

What Protesters Said

Chants of 'PoK is not part of Pakistan' and 'We want freedom' rang through the Eidgah Ground even as government surveillance drones hovered overhead and artillery was reportedly positioned on the ground. Sardar Aman Khan, a core member of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), addressed the crowd and warned that if Islamabad continued to crush the local resistance, people could seek closer ties with India. Khan further cautioned that a continued blockade on food supplies and essential goods could soon put Islamabad in a difficult position.

The JAAC Ban and Islamabad's Response

The current wave of unrest intensified after Pakistani authorities outlawed the JAAC on 5 June, branding the grassroots organisation a 'terrorist' group. Experts argue that this decision, combined with the deployment of lethal force, reflects a military-driven strategy to suppress dissent rather than address its root causes. The JAAC leader, Shaukat Nawaz Mir, wrote on X that the 'State has begun a massacre of our people in Rawalakot.'

Structural Roots of the Crisis

According to a recent report by the International Centre for Peace Studies, the party in power in Islamabad has consistently won elections in both PoK and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) — a pattern the report described as unlikely to be coincidental. The report characterised elections in the region as a 'facade', arguing that conditions created by Islamabad compel locals to align with the federal ruling party. Despite the logic that shared governance between federal and regional levels should improve development, PoK remains, according to the report, among the 'least developed and exploited' regions, much like PoGB.

Voices From the Ground and Diaspora

Rubina Hussain, writing on X, described the scene at Eidgah Ground: 'Even the government surveillance drones hovering over the Eidgah grounds in Rawalakot and the presence of artillery on the ground could not dampen the spirits of the people. This is a new era; the voice of rights cannot be suppressed by instilling fear in technology.' Several members of the Kashmiri diaspora also used social media to highlight what they described as growing atrocities by Pakistani forces in the region.

What Comes Next

With elections in PoK scheduled for 27 July, analysts say the existing political structure is unlikely to change, given Islamabad's firm grip on regional governance. The International Centre for Peace Studies report warned that interference from the federal government makes any meaningful reform of PoK's political structure improbable. As the unrest deepens, the coming weeks — and the conduct of the July elections — will be a critical test of whether Islamabad chooses accommodation or further suppression.