PoJK protests: JAAC calls long march to Muzaffarabad amid crackdown

Jammu, Jul 14 (PTI) The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which is spearheading the anti-government protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), has called for a long march to Muzaffarabad on Wednesday, sources said here. The JAAC, a coalition of diverse socio-political groups in the region, is demanding the release of its arrested leaders and activists, an end to the "brutal" security crackdown, restoration of communication services and improved access to basic amenities, including electricity and food supplies, they said. The call for the march was given after the expiry of its ultimatum to the Pakistan government, sources quoting reports from the ground said. It is expected to significantly escalate the ongoing JAAC-led agitation, with convoys from different districts likely to converge on Muzaffarabad on 15 July if the group's demands remain unmet. The proposed march is likely to see large-scale mobilisation from Rawalakot, Mirpur, Kotli, Bagh, and other districts, with the possibility of widespread shutdowns and transport disruptions, the sources said. A security expert, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the protests have the potential to deepen political instability in PoJK, further challenge Pakistan's administrative control, and attract sustained domestic and international attention if the demonstrators are met with force. The JAAC has warned that it may expand its agitation beyond its existing 38-point charter, signalling a broader political movement if demands for political representation and governance reforms are not addressed. The 38-point charter, rooted in a 2025 agreement with the Pakistani government following widespread unrest, seeks the abolition of reserved assembly seats for refugees and calls for measures such as lower wheat flour prices, substantial cuts in electricity tariffs and improved public services, among others. The PoJK Assembly has 53 seats, including 45 are filled through direct elections and eight through nomination. Of the 45 elected seats, 12 are reserved for refugees from Jammu and Kashmir who are settled in Pakistan -- six allocated to refugees from the Kashmir Valley and six from the Jammu region. According to the JAAC, these 12 seats give refugees settled in PoJK an unfair advantage in representation in the Assembly and remain a key point of contention. Pakistani security forces have reportedly reinforced deployment around Muzaffarabad and are expected to prevent protesters from reaching the capital, raising the possibility of confrontations if talks fail, sources said. Local media reported that eight major protests were held across multiple districts ahead of Wednesday's march. Fresh clashes in Sudhnoti and Mathiyal Mera reportedly left nine people dead, including a Pakistan Ranger. The latest violence has taken the reported death toll since June 5 to 28, including 23 civilians and five security personnel, the sources said. The uprising has disrupted normal life across PoJK, with sit-ins, market shutdowns, road blockades, and reports of shortages of essential supplies. The JAAC has also appealed to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to intervene over the alleged crackdown, they said. India has described the ongoing protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) as a "direct consequence" of Islamabad's decades-long "systemic exploitation and administrative oppression" in areas under its "forcible" occupation. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing on Tuesday that New Delhi expects the international community to hold Pakistan "fully accountable" for the "egregious abuses and misdeeds" in PoJK. PTI ABS SKL RHL