JAAC Sets 8 Muharram Deadline in PoK After 11 Protesters Killed
Updated
Updated · WION · Jun 27
JAAC Sets 8 Muharram Deadline in PoK After 11 Protesters Killed
1 articles · Updated · WION · Jun 27
Summary
JAAC, banned by Pakistan on June 5, said it will make a “major announcement” by 8 Muharram if Islamabad still fails to meet its demands.
The group urged residents to keep voluntary shutdowns, wheel-jam protests and sit-ins peaceful, even as it said the crackdown had killed at least 11 protesters and injured more than 200.
Khawaja Mehran, a JAAC organiser, separately alleged in a June 12 Facebook broadcast that Pakistan’s Army and ISI worked with drug mafias to target protest leaders; the claims remain unverified.
A 12-day blockade has left food and essential-supply trucks stranded at entry points, while internet services across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have remained suspended since June 5.
With no talks imminent and each side blaming the other, the deadline adds a new pressure point to a 20-day protest crisis entering a more volatile phase.
With explosive allegations against its own army, can Islamabad prevent a full-blown rebellion in Kashmir?
As Pakistan's military crushes a popular uprising, is its decades-long Kashmir narrative finally collapsing?
Did a protest over electricity bills just ignite a movement to dismantle Pakistan's control over Kashmir?
Unrest in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir: 2026 Protests, Political Crisis, and Humanitarian Fallout Ahead of July Elections
Overview
In June 2026, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) saw a sharp rise in unrest, with violent protests led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a grassroots group formed in 2023 to represent local traders and civil society. Although the PoK government accepted most of JAAC’s 38 demands in 2025, two key issues—abolishing refugee seats and ending special benefits for officials—remain unresolved due to constitutional limits. This ongoing deadlock has fueled public anger and continued protests, highlighting deep-rooted dissatisfaction with political representation and government policies in the region.