Massive Protests Shake PoK as Citizens Demand Political and Economic Reforms

Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was gripped by unrest on Monday as the Awami Action Committee (AAC) launched sweeping demonstrations across the region. Protesters called for a "shutter-down and wheel-jam", demanding a full lockdown to highlight grievances over political representation and economic hardships. In response, Islamabad deployed heavy security forces and suspended internet services from midnight, aiming to curb mobilisation and control the narrative.

The protests were triggered by growing civilian frustration over several key issues: the abolition of 12 Assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees in Pakistan, renegotiation of hydropower agreements, immediate flour subsidies to offset inflation, and the linking of power tariffs to local generation to reduce energy costs. Traders in Muzaffarabad, however, kept shops open temporarily to allow citizens to stock essentials before the shutdown.

The movement has attracted the attention of the PoK diaspora in the US, UK, and Europe, who plan protests abroad to internationalise the crisis. Islamabad's civilian leadership under Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistani army, led by Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, reportedly fear that the unrest could escalate into broader calls for Azadi (freedom) from Pakistan.

The AAC's demand to abolish refugee-reserved assembly seats is being seen as a direct challenge to Pakistan's long-standing political control in Muzaffarabad. Protesters argue that the reserved seats distort local representation, granting Islamabad undue influence over regional politics.