Daijiworld Media Network – Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad, Jun 9: Fresh unrest has erupted across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) following the banning of the Joint Awami Action Committee, a civil society alliance that has spearheaded several protests over economic and political issues in the region.
According to reports, at least 11 people were killed and more than 70 injured during violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Rawalakot ahead of a region-wide shutdown called for June 9.
The violence broke out when JAAC supporters gathered outside a hospital morgue where the body of an activist, killed in an earlier shooting incident, had been taken. Security personnel moved to disperse the crowd after the regional administration last week declared the organisation illegal under anti-terrorism laws.
Poonch Commissioner Sardar Waheed Khan said four police officers and a passerby were killed during the unrest.
"Four police officers and a passerby died after miscreants shot at them," Khan said, adding that six protesters were killed in retaliatory action by law enforcement agencies.
Police chief Liaqat Malik said 23 security personnel and around 50 protesters sustained injuries. Authorities also confirmed that several people had been arrested during the operation.
However, local residents and JAAC supporters disputed the official version, claiming the number of civilian casualties could be higher.
The latest protests were triggered by the administration's decision to reserve 12 seats in the 45-member legislative assembly for refugees living outside Kashmir but elsewhere in Pakistan. JAAC leaders argue that the move undermines local representation and have demanded its withdrawal.
The alliance has also raised concerns over inflation, unemployment, electricity shortages, governance issues and what it describes as the political marginalisation of the region.
Over the past two years, JAAC has organised large-scale demonstrations against rising electricity and flour prices, several of which ended in confrontations with security forces.
The June 9 shutdown was called not only to oppose the reserved seats but also to protest the ban on JAAC, restrictions on internet services and the killing of one of the organisation's leaders.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan expressed deep concern over the violence and questioned the decision to outlaw JAAC under anti-terror laws.
The rights body said meaningful dialogue could not take place amid continued political disenfranchisement and urged authorities to uphold the right to peaceful protest while addressing public grievances transparently. HRCP also announced plans to send a fact-finding mission to assess the situation.
Meanwhile, JAAC leaders vowed to continue their campaign despite the ban.
"The state has begun a massacre of our people in Rawalakot," JAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir said in a video message shared on social media.
Authorities have tightened security across the region ahead of elections scheduled for July 27. Mobile data services have been disrupted in several areas, restrictions have been imposed on large gatherings and the organisation's central office has reportedly been sealed.
The deteriorating situation has also attracted international attention. Governments of United Kingdom, Australia and Canada have updated travel advisories for the region, warning of possible road closures, communication disruptions, heightened security deployments and restrictions on movement.
The advisories urged foreign nationals to avoid protest sites, monitor local developments and follow instructions issued by authorities as tensions continue to rise ahead of the upcoming elections.