Early Times Report
Jammu, July 5: A month after Pakistan outlawed the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), the protest movement in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has intensified, with the organisation's leaders openly appealing to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of India for support against what they describe as Islamabad's continued repression.
The renewed appeal comes amid an escalating crackdown by the Pakistani authorities, who banned the JKJAAC on June 5 after designating it a terrorist organisation. Since then, protests have spread across different parts of PoJK, with activists alleging mass arrests, the use of force against demonstrators and growing restrictions on civil liberties.
The JKJAAC, which was formed in 2023 to protest steep electricity tariff hikes imposed by the federal government, has emerged as the face of the civil rights movement in PoJK. The organisation accuses Islamabad of denying the region's residents their democratic rights while tightening its political and administrative control over the territory.
Enraged over the arrest of prominent activist Shaukat Nawaz Mir and hundreds of other activists, JKJAAC leaders have intensified their campaign by directly seeking support from India and people living across the Line of Control (LoC).
A series of videos released by senior JKJAAC leader Sardar Aman Khan has gone viral on social media, in which he appeals to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to stand with the residents of PoJK. Referring to alleged shortages of essential commodities, Khan claimed that people in the region were facing an acute shortage of food and medicines due to the ongoing crackdown.
Addressing people in Mendhar, Poonch, Rajouri, Doda and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Khan said, "There is a shortage of rations and medicines. We need your support at this crucial time."
In another appeal, Khan called upon people across the Line of Control to extend support to the movement, saying, "We want to end the ceasefire line, and we need your support. My appeal to the people on the other side is to come forward. We have kept the door open for political dialogue."
Khan also warned that the people of PoJK would no longer remain silent in the face of what he described as Pakistan's repression.
In another video circulating on social media, Khan is seen asking a gathering of protesters whether they should march towards the Line of Control, with the crowd responding in support.
Warning the Pakistani authorities against the use of force, Khan said, "If bullets are fired in response to Kashmiri sentiments and political aspirations, we also have options."
The fresh appeal from JKJAAC leaders comes exactly a month after Pakistan launched a crackdown on the organisation. Activists claim that more than 600 civil rights campaigners have been detained since the ban, triggering widespread protests across several parts of PoJK.
Supporters of the movement allege that Pakistan treats the people of PoJK as second-class citizens by denying them basic political and economic rights while exploiting the region's resources. They argue that the latest crackdown has further strengthened public resentment against Islamabad and expanded support for the ongoing protest movement.
The unrest has gathered momentum ahead of the July 27 elections in PoJK, with protesters accusing the Pakistani establishment of attempting to suppress dissent through arrests and intimidation instead of addressing the people's grievances. |