Two people were killed and at least 22 others injured during violent protests in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The clashes erupted as thousands of locals demonstrated against the Pakistan government, demanding long-denied fundamental rights. Videos shared by Pakistani news outlets showed chaotic scenes, with protesters firing weapons into the air, police responding with force, and mobs storming vehicles during the unrest.

The demonstrations were spearheaded by the Awami Action Committee (AAC), which has voiced growing frustration over Islamabad’s neglect of PoK residents. The AAC’s campaign centers around 38 demands, including the immediate abolition of 12 assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan. Local leaders argue that these seats distort representative governance, leaving PoK residents underrepresented in their own region.

Shaukat Nawaz Mir, AAC’s leader, declared that the protests reflect decades of broken promises and systematic denial of rights. He warned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration that the demonstrations constituted "Plan A," and that harsher steps, including a so-called "Plan D," were prepared to escalate the movement if the government did not respond. "Our campaign is for fundamental rights denied to our people for over 70 years... either deliver or face the wrath of the people," Mir cautioned.

Across PoK, life ground to a halt as markets, shops, transport services, and schools were disrupted. Although schools were not officially closed, attendance dropped sharply, with most students staying away. Entire towns were paralyzed by strikes, underscoring the strength of the AAC’s call for civil disobedience.

Islamabad reacted to the protests with a visible show of force. Heavily armed troops held flag marches in several towns, backed by military units redeployed from Punjab province. In addition, 1,000 troops were rushed in directly from Islamabad to reinforce the security clampdown. Internet access was restricted across many areas of PoK, further intensifying local anger at the government’s attempt to silence dissent.

These protests were further fuelled by outrage over Pakistan Air Force strikes last week in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Using JF-17 Thunder jets equipped with Chinese LS-6 laser-guided bombs, Pakistan’s military targeted what it claimed were terrorist hideouts. Instead, 30 civilians were killed when bombs struck a village in a non-combatant area. The incident triggered grief and anger across the province, worsening already fragile relations between local populations and the central government.

The strike in Khyber comes at a time of heightened terrorist activity in the region. Banned militant groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed have been reported to be shifting bases into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following India’s Operation Sindoor in Jammu & Kashmir. The increase in militant presence has led Pakistan to intensify counterterrorism operations, often at the expense of civilian lives, further undermining trust in the government.

The crisis in PoK underscores the mounting pressure on Islamabad, which is facing both internal unrest and growing disillusionment in restive provinces like Khyber. The ongoing protests highlight governance failures, lack of accountability, and the erosion of civilian freedoms under an increasingly militarized response.

With the AAC promising escalation and locals resonating with its demand for fundamental rights, Pakistan’s government faces a deepening challenge that may spread far beyond PoK if not addressed.

Agencies