Muzaffarabad [PoJK], May 12 : Public anger is mounting in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir after the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) announced a territory-wide strike on June 9, accusing the Pakistani government of repeatedly betraying the people of the region. The committee has warned of massive protests, shutter-down strikes, and wheel-jam demonstrations if its demands are not addressed by May 31.
JAAC leaders allege that Islamabad has failed to fulfil promises related to constitutional and electoral reforms and has instead resorted to delaying tactics to suppress the movement. However, Pakistani authorities are now reportedly trying to pressure the committee into withdrawing the protest call amid fears of a larger anti-government uprising in the region.
Echoing the growing public anger, human rights activist Amjad Ayub Mirza claimed that repeated negotiations between the JAAC leadership and the Pakistani authorities in Muzaffarabad have yielded no results.
Amjad Ayub Mirza said, "The meeting with the leaders of the Joint Awami Action Committee in Muzaffarabad has been a complete flop, and this is not the first time it has failed. For the past two years, the Pakistan-backed administration in PoJK has repeatedly called the committee for negotiations, only to waste their time. Now, the leadership of the Joint Awami Action Committee has decided that enough is enough. A massive strike and long march are being planned for June 9. Whether it ultimately takes place or not, only time will tell, but preparations are underway, and people associated with the Awami Action Committee across PoJK are extremely angry."
The fresh protest call comes at a time when resentment against Pakistan's administration in PoJK is intensifying over rising inflation, prolonged power cuts, and a lack of political representation. Highlighting the worsening economic situation in the region, Mirza alleged that common people are struggling with soaring prices and inadequate basic facilities.
He said, "There is a severe electricity shortage and extensive load shedding in the region. School fees have increased sharply, while the price of a gas cylinder, which earlier cost around two-and-a-half thousand rupees, has now risen to nearly six thousand rupees. No decision has been taken regarding the 12 migrant seats. The Joint Awami Action Committee believes these seats should be abolished because many of those representatives do not even reside in PoJK and only put forward their names during elections."
Mirza further alleged that repeated agitations in the region have only resulted in violence and suppression.
He added, "The people of PoJK have staged two massive general strikes, but all they received in return were bullets. Nothing was left behind except corpses. The governments in Pakistan and PoJK keep changing prime ministers and continue avoiding the real issues faced by the people. I believe the coming days could bring serious unrest in PoJK."
With growing anger on the streets and increasing allegations of repression by the Pakistani establishment, the region appears headed towards another major confrontation between protesters and the administration in the coming days.
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