The civil rights movement has grown in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir as citizens there have rebelled against brutality at the hands of the Pakistani police and Pakistani administration.
Officials familiar with the developments said the recent protests and violent suppression of those demonstrations indicate that Pakistan may be losing its grip on the territory it has illegally occupied for decades.
Several incidents of clashes between local people and law enforcement officials have been reported in Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot.
Angry residents of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir faced protesting police officers after tear gas shells were fired on protesters. Tear gas shells were fired at a group of peaceful protesters in Dadiyal.
Pakistan is losing its grip on PoJK and is moving closer to becoming a part of India. (There have been) major protests in PoJK and a military intelligence vehicle was also destroyed (by protesters).
Officials said the protests were sparked by the deaths of two minor girls. Two girls died due to lathicharge and exposure to tear gas.
Ten districts have protested against alleged human rights violations. “Pakistan’s hollow solidarity with Kashmiris has been exposed,” the official said.
He said that the Assistant Commissioner of PoJK was beaten up by the local people after issuing orders to use tear gas shells on peaceful protesters.
The first set of protests was carried out by the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, which announced a series of “shutter-down and wheel-jam” strikes because the Pakistani government had not followed the agreement reached between the two in February.
The committee has been protesting against the ‘unjust’ taxes imposed on electricity bills and had gone on strike in August 2023 over the taxes and also demanded that electricity should be provided to consumers as per the production cost of hydro power. ,
However, these protests have now become more widespread and protesters have raised issues of human rights violations and police brutality at the hands of Pakistan Police as issues that are affecting them.