Can Pakistan stay united? After Baloch rebels, now PoK protesters say they're not part of Pak
PoK leader Sardar Aman Khan went on to warn the government that the residents would be forced to look for "alternative roads" to ensure their survival if the blockade continues.
Protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have entered their third week with demonstrators publicly declaring their separation from Pakistan and demanding the restoration of basic necessities amidst an ongoing blockade, while over 70,000 people, including women and children, participate in a sit-in at Rawalakot where leaders have warned of seeking alternative survival routes if the situation persists. The protesters, led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), are calling for independence from Islamabad and an end to what they term Pakistan's illegal occupation, citing slogans against Pakistani forces and alleging civilian deaths in clashes with security personnel, and the JAAC, which has been declared a terrorist outfit by the PoK administration, is advocating for the abolition of reserved legislative seats for Jammu and Kashmir refugees, demanding all seats go to PoK residents, all this stemming from the administration's alleged failure to implement the Muzaffarabad Agreement of 2025 which promised wheat subsidies, low power tariffs, and hydropower royalty payments, echoing similar independence calls from Balochistan where rebels also feel economically marginalized and exploited.
Protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have entered their third week with demonstrators publicly declaring their separation from Pakistan and demanding the restoration of basic necessities amidst an ongoing blockade, while over 70,000 people, including women and children, participate in a sit-in at Rawalakot where leaders have warned of seeking alternative survival routes if the situation persists. The protesters, led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), are calling for independence from Islamabad and an end to what they term Pakistan's illegal occupation, citing slogans against Pakistani forces and alleging civilian deaths in clashes with security personnel, and the JAAC, which has been declared a terrorist outfit by the PoK administration, is advocating for the abolition of reserved legislative seats for Jammu and Kashmir refugees, demanding all seats go to PoK residents, all this stemming from the administration's alleged failure to implement the Muzaffarabad Agreement of 2025 which promised wheat subsidies, low power tariffs, and hydropower royalty payments, echoing similar independence calls from Balochistan where rebels also feel economically marginalized and exploited.
Protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have entered their third week with demonstrators publicly declaring their separation from Pakistan and demanding the restoration of basic necessities amidst an ongoing blockade, while over 70,000 people, including women and children, participate in a sit-in at Rawalakot where leaders have warned of seeking alternative survival routes if the situation persists. The protesters, led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), are calling for independence from Islamabad and an end to what they term Pakistan's illegal occupation, citing slogans against Pakistani forces and alleging civilian deaths in clashes with security personnel, and the JAAC, which has been declared a terrorist outfit by the PoK administration, is advocating for the abolition of reserved legislative seats for Jammu and Kashmir refugees, demanding all seats go to PoK residents, all this stemming from the administration's alleged failure to implement the Muzaffarabad Agreement of 2025 which promised wheat subsidies, low power tariffs, and hydropower royalty payments, echoing similar independence calls from Balochistan where rebels also feel economically marginalized and exploited.
There has been calls for independence in Pakistan for years, whether it is from the restive province of Balochistan or Afghanistan-linked militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Now the protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Tuesday publicly declared that they are “not part of Pakistan” as their agitation entered the 22nd day.
The PoK protesters made the public declaration at Eidgah Ground in Rawalakot, where they demanded the government in Islamabad to restore the movement of their rations and other basic necessities. More than 70,000 demonstrators, including women and schoolchildren, have been maintaining a sit-in at the protest site for at least 20 days.
PoK leader Sardar Aman Khan went on to warn the government that the residents would be forced to look for "alternative roads" to ensure their survival is the blockade continues. "We don't need your rations. You need us," he said.
They have been demanding independence from Islamabad's control and calling for an end to what they describe as Pakistan's illegal occupation of the region. Some of the placards had slogans like "Pakistani forces are killing Kashmiris" and "Kashmir under Pakistani attack".
At least 22 civilians have died in clash with security personnel so far.
The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a grassroots civil society organisation in PoK, which is leading the protest has been declared a terrorist outfit by the PoK administration. The order also bans all affiliated organisations linked to the JAAC.
The JAAC has been holding an indefinite strike since June 9 over what it claims is the administration's failure to honour commitments made under the Muzaffarabad Agreement signed in 2025. The 25-point deal stipulated that the residents of the region should be allocated wheat subsidies, low power tariffs, and hydropower royalty payments. The agreement also has provisions for compensation and accountability measures for victims of 2025 protests. However, the protesters say these are not implemented.
The PoK is heading for its next legislative elections on July 27. It has 45 seats, out of which 12 are reserved for refugees who migrated from Jammu and Kashmir and settled in Pakistan. However, JAAC is calling for the abolition of these 12 reserved seats, claiming that all 45 seats should go to those who actually reside in PoK and not those living in other constituencies.
This echoes the sentiments of Baloch rebels, who seek independence from Pakistan as they feel economically marginalised and exploited despite the region having vast natural resources, including gas, gold and copper. In recent years, the militants, spearheaded by group like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), have transitioned from localised guerrilla warfare to well-coordinated attacks across multiple cities.