At least 10 civilians have been killed in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as violent protests against the Pakistani government entered a third consecutive day, plunging the region into chaos and confrontation.
On Wednesday alone, eight people lost their lives, four in Dhirkot in Bagh district, two in Muzaffarabad, and two in Mirpur, according to an NDTV report. Two additional deaths were reported a day earlier in Muzaffarabad, pushing the overall toll to 10.
The unrest, driven by the Awami Action Committee (AAC), has paralysed life in PoK over the past 72 hours. Shops, markets and businesses remain shuttered, public transport has ground to a halt, and a “long march” on Muzaffarabad continues despite a heavy-handed crackdown.
This morning, demonstrators hurled stones and tossed massive shipping containers, placed by authorities to block their march, into rivers beneath the bridges. The AAC has tabled 38 demands, including the scrapping of 12 legislative seats in the PoK Assembly reserved for Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan. Locals say this system undermines true representative governance.
“Our campaign is for fundamental rights denied to our people for over 70 years. Either deliver on rights or face the wrath of the people,” AAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir declared, warning Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration that the current strike was only “plan A.” He added that the group had backup strategies, including a “severe plan D.”
Islamabad’s Crackdown
The Pakistani government has responded with overwhelming force. Thousands of troops have been redeployed from Punjab province, while an additional 1,000 soldiers were dispatched from Islamabad, sources told local media. Heavily armed units have staged flag marches in PoK towns, and authorities have imposed internet restrictions across the region in a bid to stifle mobilisation.
Rising Tensions After Airstrikes
The clashes in PoK come just days after another tragedy. Last week, 30 civilians were killed when Pakistan Air Force JF-17 fighter jets carried out strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, dropping Chinese-made LS-6 laser-guided bombs on a remote village.
