Protests against the Pakistani administration have intensified in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Demonstrators are raising slogans rejecting the “rule of bullets,” and the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has announced the launch of a civil disobedience movement.
During a gathering in Palandri, JAAC leader Sardar Aman Kashmiri urged people not to pay taxes or electricity bills and called for a boycott of government offices and schools as part of the proposed campaign.
This announcement comes amidst ongoing tension in PoK, where protesters have accused Pakistani authorities of attempting to suppress the people’s demands through the use of force.
‘We Do Not Accept the Rule of Bullets’
Addressing the gathering, Aman Kashmiri rejected the practice of governing through intimidation and coercion.
He asked, “Do you accept the rule of bullets? We do not accept the rule of bullets.”
Referring to the long-standing protests, Kashmiri stated that the demonstrators had already demonstrated that they would not be intimidated.
He said, “To those so eager to fire bullets: we have stood firm for over 70 days, proving that we do not accept the rule of bullets.”
Protesters present at the gathering also raised slogans against the Pakistan Army, including chants like “We do not accept the law of the bullet.”
Announcement of Civil Disobedience Movement
The Awami Action Committee has now called for a civil disobedience campaign in PoK and appealed to the public to withhold payments for taxes and electricity bills.
The committee has also urged people to boycott government offices and schools as part of the protest initiative. Kashmiri described the movement as being rooted in the concerns of ordinary working-class families.
He said, “Our mothers raised us amidst great hardship; they worked as laborers to bring us up. We are the children of laborers and of those who earn their livelihood honestly and legally. We do not fear bullets.”
Aman Kashmiri called for a political solution.
Despite the confrontational rhetoric, Kashmiri stated that the dispute must ultimately be resolved politically and expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue. He said, “Therefore, I wish to state very clearly and calmly: this is a political issue; find a political solution to it.” He also warned against the continued use of force, adding: “If you wish to rule by the bullet, then the people, too, will amass bullets, and ultimately, the very rule you seek to impose will prevail.”
The JAAC leader maintains that as protests escalate in PoK, dialogue—rather than the use of force—is the right path forward.
Ground Reality
Protests are intensifying despite harsh crackdowns. Local leaders have called for a “shutter-down and chakka-jam” (transport blockade) strike, entailing the closure of businesses and the blocking of main roads. Key epicenters of the protests include Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Mirpur, and Kotli. Prominent activist Sardar Aman Khan and other leaders have recently organized a massive “long march” toward major administrative centers, while key members have appealed to global human rights organizations for international intervention.