The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) has called for mass protests across Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), accusing Pakistani authorities of a campaign of arrests, enforced disappearances, and intimidation against activists. Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri, a JKJAAC member, urged residents from all regions to join the movement, describing it as a collective stand against what he termed "cruelty, barbarism and state terrorism."
Protests Planned Across PoJK
In a post on X, Kashmiri announced that the committee had organized protests in every corner of the region. He appealed to residents to participate despite what he alleged was an escalating crackdown by security forces. Specifically addressing residents of Muzaffarabad, Jhelum Valley, and Neelum districts, he claimed authorities had intensified coercive measures, including arrests and enforced disappearances of activists, to discourage public mobilization. Kashmiri insisted the campaign would continue undeterred.
Detention of Leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir
Kashmiri urged supporters not to be intimidated by arrests, particularly referencing the detention of JKJAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir. He portrayed this as part of a broader effort to suppress dissent, maintaining that the detention of movement leaders should strengthen public resolve rather than weaken it. Calling for "courage and bravery," he appealed to citizens to reject fear and continue participating in peaceful demonstrations. He urged residents to come out of their homes wherever possible and raise their voices against what he described as widespread oppression.
Amnesty International Condemns Crackdown
Watchdog group Amnesty International strongly condemned Pakistan's heavy-handed tactics ahead of upcoming regional elections in PoJK. Amnesty accused Pakistani authorities of deploying violent measures to suppress peaceful political dissent and violate fundamental human rights, unlawfully designating the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) as a "proscribed organisation." Amnesty fiercely criticized the ban on JAAC, labelling it a disproportionate attack on freedom of association and peaceful political activism.
International Pressure Mounts
As local tensions simmer ahead of the regional polls, activists and watchdog groups continue to pressure the international community to hold Islamabad accountable. The JKJAAC's call for protests highlights ongoing human rights concerns in the region, with demands for an end to state repression and respect for fundamental freedoms.
