Thousands protest in PoK against Pakistan's crackdown as unrest deepens

Thousands of people gathered in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's (PoK) Muzaffarabad on Wednesday to protest against the Pakistani establishment's brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrators in the region.

A day earlier, nine protesters were killed after Pakistani Rangers allegedly opened fire on demonstrators in Rawalakot and Sudhanoti.

The latest protest comes amid reports suggesting that Pakistani authorities are planning to infiltrate terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) into the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC)-led demonstrations. The alleged objective is to trigger violence, provoke clashes with security forces, and give the movement a "terrorist" angle.

The protest movement, which began over economic hardships, governance issues, and political representation, has grown into one of the biggest public mobilisations seen in the region in recent years.

According to reports, more than 16,000 security personnel have been deployed across the region to deal with the protesters.

What is the protest about?

The immediate trigger for the protests was a Supreme Court ruling that held that 12 legislative seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees are constitutionally protected and cannot be abolished without a constitutional amendment. Protesters, however, are demanding the immediate abolition of these refugee seats. They argue that the reservation undermines local governance and dilutes the political voice of local residents.

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However, this is not the only reason behind the agitation. The JAAC, which is spearheading the protests, has submitted a 38-point charter of demands to the Pakistani government. The charter reportedly includes demands related to economic relief, resource rights, electricity pricing, employment, and judicial reforms, among others.

The JAAC has accused the Pakistani federal government of refusing to accept even the basic demands of the protesters and adopting a hostile approach towards the movement.

Crackdown on protesters

The situation has become increasingly fragile after Pakistani authorities launched a crackdown on protesters, which has reportedly led to the deaths of around 30 people since the demonstrations began.

Security forces have also banned the JAAC, arrested hundreds of protesters, and imposed restrictions on public gatherings, limiting the scope of the movement.

Authorities have also imposed a blanket internet shutdown across the region, resulting in a lack of reliable information about the actual situation on the ground.

Protesters have described these actions as "disproportionate and repressive." The massive turnout at Wednesday's protest once again highlighted the scale of public anger over what residents describe as the suppression of their democratic rights by the Pakistani authorities.