Crowds gathered in Rawalakot on 4 July to hear Advocate Mehrah Khawja deliver a fiery speech condemning the Pakistani Army for the cold-blooded killing of civilians. Khawja declared that no law authorises the Army to kill anyone and criticised the leadership for failing to engage in meaningful dialogue, urging them to step down.

He appealed to the Kashmiri diaspora in the United Kingdom to organise a massive protest on 5 July to draw international attention to Pakistan’s actions.

Khawja lamented the loss of lives, saying the blood of innocents was on the hands of those responsible. He called on Kashmiris overseas, from Birmingham to London, to raise their voices against tyranny. He accused Pakistan of exploiting the region’s resources and now resorting to killing its own people instead of addressing grievances.

He urged people across several cities to take to the streets, close shops and chowks, and demonstrate solidarity. Large crowds were seen gathered to hear him speak.

In his remarks, Khawja doubled down on his criticism of the Army for killing civilians, highlighting the skyrocketing prices of basic amenities and the shutting down of internet services in the region. Meanwhile, a viral video circulating on social media exposed the brutal crackdown on peaceful protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK). The video carried a message from Sardar Aman Khan, a core member of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), urging people across PoK, Kashmir, Ladakh, Poonch and Rajouri to support the protest call for 5 July.

Sardar Aman Khan’s message addressed communities across Srinagar, Baramulla, Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri, Jammu, Ladakh, Kargil, and Gilgit Baltistan. He described the oppression faced by the people of PoK, noting that food and medicine supply routes had been closed and even basic survival was being questioned by the authorities.

He appealed for solidarity, urging people to come out and raise their voices against cruelty and injustice. He emphasised that the protest was essential to demand fundamental rights and resist military aggression.

Earlier, on 30 June, the JAAC had sharply criticised Pakistani authorities after a political delegation led by opposition leaders was stopped from entering PoK. The committee described this as further evidence of suppression of democratic rights and political dissent.

It alleged that restrictions extended beyond political movement, with food supplies obstructed and access to the region curtailed, exposing the government’s approach toward the people of PoK. Reiterating its position, the JAAC insisted its campaign was a peaceful movement focused on securing fundamental rights and vowed not to surrender despite continued oppression.

The ongoing protests are exposing the conduct of the authorities before audiences in Pakistan and internationally. The JAAC urged supporters to remain steadfast, insisting that peaceful demonstrations would continue until demands were met.

The public outcry coincides with severe global pushback against Islamabad’s handling of dissent. Amnesty International strongly condemned Pakistan’s heavy-handed tactics ahead of upcoming regional elections in PoK, accusing authorities of deploying violent measures to suppress peaceful dissent and unlawfully designating the JAAC as a “proscribed organisation.”

Amnesty labelled the ban on JAAC a disproportionate attack on freedom of association and peaceful activism. As tensions rise ahead of the regional polls, activists and watchdog groups continue to pressure the international community to hold Islamabad accountable.

Activists allege that Pakistan has created an economic blockade, preventing food supplies from entering the region and halting travel. Pakistani forces are reportedly using drones to surveil sit-in protests. PoK activists have also called for a boycott of the local elections scheduled for 27 July, intensifying the confrontation between the people and the authorities.

ANI