PoJK under lockdown after deadly protests kill 12
Cities and towns across Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) are under razor-wire barricades and a heavy paramilitary presence. Rawalakot is under an undeclared media blackout ahead of a planned long march to Muzaffarabad on Wednesday. At least 12 people were killed, and dozens were injured in Tuesday’s clashes as Pakistani security forces opened indiscriminate fire on protesters demanding relief from soaring prices and political reforms.
Violence broke out in Rawalakot after members of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) ignored restrictions and began protesting.
They say the Pakistani government has ignored the region for years, kept wheat and electricity prices high, and denied them subsidies that people in other parts of the country receive.
The protests started over economic issues but quickly turned into open resistance against Islamabad’s rule. Security forces used force in response. Several reports say that Rangers and police fired at the crowds, killing at least 12 civilians. Protest leaders believe the real number may be higher, as some bodies are still missing in the confusion. One Ranger was also reported killed during the clashes.
After the killings, authorities acted quickly to control the situation. Local reports say about 4,000 Rangers have been sent across PoJK, and Rawalakot is under strict lockdown. Major roads out of the town are blocked, entry and exit points are closed, and people’s movement is tightly restricted. Journalists say they are not allowed into the area. Internet and mobile services have also been cut, leaving residents isolated. Despite the crackdown, activists say the protests continue.
JAAC says it will continue with Wednesday’s planned march to Muzaffarabad, the capital of POJK. Organisers expect thousands to join, hoping to reach the city and push for talks. “We have been exploited for 78 years. This time, we will not go back,” a JAAC coordinator told supporters in messages sent before communications were cut.
The unrest has caught the world’s attention, especially in India. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) criticised the “excessive use of force” against civilians and pointed to what it described as years of exploitation, internet shutdowns, and blocked supplies in the disputed area. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called on the international community to hold Pakistan responsible for what is happening in POJK.
People in Rawalakot are feeling both fear and determination. Reports say hospitals are full, and families have not been allowed to hold public funerals for those killed. Traders say essential goods are blocked, worsening the economic problems that sparked the protests. As Wednesday begins, PoK faces a critical moment.
“The Pakistani authorities seem set on stopping the march from reaching Muzaffarabad. But the protesters are not giving up. With security forces stationed in large numbers with clear instructions to open fire, a major confrontation could soon change the political situation in the disputed region”, sources in security agencies said.
In the next few hours, it will become clear whether the authorities can stop the uprising or if their actions will only increase the anger that has been building in POJK for years, the sources added.
