Around dozen protestors killed scores injured many critically as Pakistani security forces open fire on Protestors in PoK

At least a dozen civilians have been killed and scores more wounded as Pakistani security forces opened fire to suppress protests across Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). What began as a peaceful agitation over neglected demands has spiraled into one of the most intense uprisings the region has seen in years.

From Demands to Deadly Confrontation

The unrest, now in its third day, erupted after the government repeatedly ignored a 38-point charter of demands submitted by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC).

Key demands included abolishing 12 legislative seats in PoK reserved for Kashmiri refugees, subsidies on electricity and essential grains, tax relief, and accelerated development projects.

The situation quickly escalated:

• Muzaffarabad, the regional capital, witnessed heavy clashes where at least five protesters were killed.
• In Dheerkot, another five succumbed to gunfire, while two more died in Dadyal.
• At least three police personnel were also confirmed dead in the violence.
• More than 200 people are injured, many with critical gunshot wounds.

In towns like Rawalakot, Neelum Valley, and Kotli, protests spread, shutting down commerce, transport, and daily life. The government responded by deploying thousands of additional troops to suppress the unrest.

A Region Locked Down

In protest aftermath:

• Shops, markets, and local businesses remain shuttered.
• Public transportation has largely vanished from the streets.
• Mobile, internet, and landline services have been cut off entirely, further isolating citizens.
• Images circulating on social media show crowds toppling blocked-container barricades on bridges, chanting slogans like “Rulers, beware, we are your doom” and “Kashmir is ours; we will decide its fate.”

These slogans are significant: for the first time in decades, PoK citizens are openly targeting the Pakistani state and its military apparatus, rather than limiting their criticism to indirect references.

Islamabad’s U-Turn: Negotiation over Repression

Under mounting pressure, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a high-level negotiation panel and pledged a “transparent investigation” into the use of force. He directed security agencies to exercise restraint in their operations.

On the diplomatic front, Nasir Aziz Khan, spokesperson for the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP), appealed at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, warning member states about a looming humanitarian crisis in PoK and urging intervention under international human rights norms.

Meanwhile, reports indicate preliminary breakthroughs: the government is reported to have agreed to at least 25 of the 38 demands, including infrastructure reforms, subsidy continuation, and administrative restructuring. The Turning Point?

The protests in PoK represent more than just localized discontent. They reflect deep frustration with decades of neglect, institutionalized privileges, and a system that treats ordinary citizens as afterthoughts.

In recent years, power generation, natural resources, and infrastructure projects have enriched the few, while the people at the grassroots endure electricity shortages, rising prices, and a lack of political agency.

Now, the people are speaking back—and for once, not in whispers, but in defiant roar.

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