Punjab Newsline | Muzaffarabad
The ongoing protests in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) have intensified over the past four days, with reports claiming that at least 46 protesters have been killed and more than 1,000 people arrested during the unrest.
The agitation has severely disrupted daily life across the region, with shortages of medicines and essential food supplies being reported. Markets, schools, colleges and government offices remain closed in major cities including Muzaffarabad and Mirpur, while internet services continue to be suspended, leaving the region largely cut off from the outside world.
The protests are centered around a dispute over 12 reserved seats in the PoK Legislative Assembly. These seats are allocated for refugees who migrated from Jammu and Kashmir to other parts of Pakistan, a provision that has long been opposed by several local groups.
Tensions escalated after the PoK Supreme Court rejected petitions on June 7 seeking the abolition of the reserved seats. The court ruled that the constitutional arrangement could not be withdrawn through judicial intervention, prompting the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) to intensify its campaign demanding the seats be scrapped.
Despite the government's actions, demonstrators have continued their protests, with JAAC members preparing for larger sit-ins across the region. In response, Pakistani authorities have ordered the deployment of additional paramilitary forces, including Rangers and Frontier Constabulary personnel, in Poonch, Mirpur and Muzaffarabad.
The administration has also registered sedition cases against several JAAC leaders, including Shaukat Nawaz Mir and Khawaja Mehran, alleging attempts to incite unrest. Protest organizers, however, accuse the government of using force and intimidation to suppress the movement.
The situation has remained tense since June 5, when the Pakistani government imposed a ban on JAAC under anti-terrorism laws, further fueling public anger and political uncertainty in the region.
