Massive Civilian Protests In PoK: Police Deployed, Internet Suspended Amid AAC Demonstrations

Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) witnessed widespread civilian protests on Monday as the Awami Action Committee (AAC) launched a series of demonstrations across the region. Protesters called for a "shutter-down and wheel-jam", escalating tensions and prompting Islamabad to deploy security forces and suspend internet services from midnight to limit mobilisation. The demonstrators also demanded a full regional lockdown.

Internet Services Suspended Ahead of Shutdown

Traders' associations in Muzaffarabad announced that shops would remain open temporarily to allow residents to stock up on essentials before the shutdown. Authorities, as a precaution, suspended internet services and deployed massive police forces to maintain order.

What Are the Protesters Demanding?

The protests reflect growing civilian frustration over several issues:

• Abolition of 12 Assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan
• Renegotiation of hydropower agreements
• Immediate flour subsidies to alleviate the impact of rising inflation
• Linking power tariffs to local generation rates to reduce energy costs

The PoK diaspora in countries such as the US, UK, and across Europe is also expected to stage demonstrations, seeking to internationalise these demands.

Government and Military Concern

Reports indicate that the Shehbaz Sharif government in Islamabad and the Pakistani army are worried that the protests could evolve into broader demands for Azadi (freedom) from Pakistan.

The AAC's call to abolish refugee-reserved assembly seats is seen as a direct challenge to the political framework through which Islamabad has historically controlled Muzaffarabad. The AAC argues that these reserved seats distort local representation and give Islamabad undue influence over PoK politics.

Security Forces Mobilised

Visuals circulating on social media show convoys of security personnel moving into the city, raising concerns about a potential heavy-handed crackdown to suppress the demonstrations.