PoK protests escalate as locals demand 'azadi' from Pakistan: What locals are demanding through their 38-point demand charter

File Photo - Security personnel cordon off a street during a protest by demonstrators of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee on the outskirts of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 13, 2024. (Photo Credit: AFP)

Pakistan is facing a new wave of unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, once again exposing the fragility of its administration in the region. The Awami Action Committee (AAC) on Monday called for a massive “shutter-down and wheel-jam” strike across PoK, demanding long-denied political and economic rights. The protest came amid growing anger over decades of neglect, corruption, and Islamabad’s exploitation of the region’s resources.

Thousands took to the streets, with the diaspora in the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe also staging demonstrations to internationalise the issue. The protests are not just about economic grievances. They reflect a deeper demand for Azadi, freedom from Pakistan’s forcible and illegal occupation, and serve as a stark reminder that the Shehbaz Sharif government cannot contain mounting discontent at home.

Massive protests across PoK

The AAC launched a large-scale strike across PoK. Shaukat Nawaz Mir, a core AAC leader, told reporters in Muzaffarabad, “Our campaign is not against any institution but for the fundamental rights denied to our people for over 70 years. Enough is enough. Either deliver on rights or face the wrath of the people.” Mir said the shutdown was a response to years of government neglect, corruption, and the misappropriation of the region’s resources for political patronage and bribery.

The protests have widespread support from civil society organisations, lawyers, and local businesses. Markets, transport services, and daily life are expected to come to a near standstill.

Why now: The 38-point demand charter

The AAC has a 38-point list of demands targeting Pakistan’s systemic exploitation of PoK. Among the key demands are:

• Abolition of 12 Assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan, which the AAC argues distort local representation and give Islamabad undue control.
• Renegotiation of hydropower projects to ensure benefits flow to local communities rather than political elites.
• Subsidies on essential goods such as flour as inflation continues to erode living standards.
• Subsidies on electricity bills, which are increasingly unaffordable for ordinary citizens.

A Dawn report noted that the strike follows a breakdown in talks over the weekend. Ministers said, “Issues that require constitutional amendments or subordinate legislation by the Parliament (Legislative Assembly) cannot be decided by a few people in a closed room. That is why the negotiations ended without results.”

Officials admitted that progress had been made until the negotiating team pressed for abolition of elite perks and the 12 refugee seats, creating a deadlock.

A history of unrest

PoK has long been a flashpoint of unrest. Last May, the region witnessed protests over subsidies on flour and electricity. Locals demanded electricity at cost from Mangla Dam in Mirpur, highlighting the plundering of regional resources. Experts note that current unrest dates back to 2023 when residents began protesting hikes in electricity rates and removal of wheat subsidies. In 2022, large-scale demonstrations occurred against Pakistan’s plan to amend the constitutional status of PoK, with protesters blocking highways, burning tires, and chanting slogans against joining Pakistan while demanding freedom.

India has repeatedly highlighted that such unrest is a natural consequence of Islamabad’s continued policy of systemic exploitation and denial of rights in the occupied territory.

Pakistan scrambles to maintain control

Fearing an escalation, Pakistan has deployed over 2,000 additional personnel from Punjab Police, Rangers, and frontier constabulary across the region. Security forces have been stationed in all district headquarters, while major roads have been closed and checkpoints established at key points. Sources told CNN-News18, “Massive protests are going on in PoK’s big and small towns. Thousands of locals are holding rallies for their rights and chanting slogans.”

The administration has imposed a complete communication blackout, shutting down cellular, fiber internet, and mobile services. Social media reports indicate arrests and abductions of key AAC members. The government’s heavy-handed response reflects its anxiety over a possible surge in demands for Azadi, freedom from Pakistan’s illegal occupation.

These protests reveal the depth of Pakistan’s mismanagement and the failure of the Sharif government to govern effectively in PoK. Years of corruption, misallocation of resources, and political patronage have created fertile ground for dissent. The AAC’s call for Azadi and its systematic agitation demonstrate that Islamabad’s claim of control is increasingly fragile.