Opinion | Thousands in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir Rise Up Demanding Their Basic Rights

Massive protests sweep across the region as people demand their basic rights after decades of neglect

Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, known as POK, has become the center of one of the largest uprisings seen in recent years. Thousands of angry residents have taken to the streets, demanding their fundamental rights and protesting against the Shehbaz Sharif government .The protests, which took place across multiple cities and towns in the region, were organized by a group called the Awami Action Committee, or AAC for short. This committee represents ordinary people who have grown tired of waiting for the government to address their problems.The AAC called for what they termed a “shutter down wheel-jam” strike throughout Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. This meant that shops were closed, vehicles stayed off the roads, and normal life came to a complete halt. The strike was the people’s way of showing the government just how angry and frustrated they have become.Shoukat Nawaz Mir, a prominent leader of the AAC, captured the mood of the protesters with strong words. “They will only understand the language of shoes, not words,” he said, suggesting that the government has ignored peaceful requests for too long and will only respond to more forceful action.The protests were not limited to just one or two places. They spread across many districts including Mirpur, Kotli, Rawalakot, Neelum Valley, and Keran. In each of these areas, thousands of people came out to make their voices heard.According to Mir and other protest leaders, the anger has been building up for over seventy years. The people of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir feel that they have been denied their basic rights for generations. They say successive governments have made promises but never delivered on them.”Our campaign is not against any institution but for the fundamental rights denied to our people for over 70 years. Enough is enough,” Mir explained. “Either deliver on rights or face the wrath of the people.”The frustration is not just about one or two issues. The people have a long list of complaints ranging from corruption and mismanagement to being ignored by those in power. They feel like second-class citizens in their own land.The Pakistan government’s response to the protests was swift and forceful. Authorities deployed heavy security forces throughout the region. Armed military convoys were sent in, and thousands of troops were brought from Punjab province to control the situation.Additionally, about one thousand police personnel were dispatched from Islamabad, the capital city, to reinforce local security forces. The government was clearly taking no chances with these protests.But the security measures did not stop there. The authorities also implemented an internet blackout across the region. This move was designed to prevent protesters from organizing and communicating with each other through social media and messaging apps. It also made it harder for news of the protests to reach the outside world.Entry and exit points to various cities were sealed off during the weekend when the protests were expected to be at their peak. The government wanted to prevent protesters from different areas from joining forces and creating even larger demonstrations.The current wave of protests did not happen suddenly. There had been attempts to resolve the issues through dialogue. Recently, talks were held between the AAC, government ministers from Pakistan, and the POK administration.These were described as marathon talks, meaning they went on for many hours as both sides tried to find common ground. However, the talks ultimately collapsed without reaching any agreement.The main sticking point was the AAC’s refusal to compromise on two key demands. First, they want to abolish what they call “elite privileges” – special benefits that powerful people enjoy while ordinary citizens struggle. Second, they want to end the system of refugee seats in the assembly.”The talks were incomplete and inconclusive,” Mir said after the negotiations failed. He made it clear that the protest movement would continue until their demands were met.Despite the intensity of the protests, the AAC made a strategic decision to temporarily call off the demonstrations. However, this was not a surrender. The leaders were concerned about a potential violent crackdown by security forces that could harm innocent people.The coalition announced that this was just a pause, not an end to their movement. They declared that the next phase of protests would begin on October 15. This gives both sides some breathing room but also shows that the protesters are in this for the long haul.The AAC has not been vague about what they want. At the heart of the protests lies a comprehensive 38-point charter of demands that addresses decades of grievances. This comprehensive list covers all the issues that have been bothering the people of POK for decades. Key demands include:

Political Representation: The abolition of 12 seats in the PoK Assembly reserved for Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan, which locals argue fundamentally undermines representative governance and dilutes their democratic voice.

Economic Justice: Subsidized flour prices and fairer power tariffs to address the economic hardships faced by ordinary citizens.

Systemic Reforms: Implementation of long-delayed reforms to address corruption, neglect, and the denial of basic rights.

Justice for the Fallen: Financial compensation and government jobs for families of those killed during the protests, equivalent to what was provided to families of two police officers who died during the unrest.

Release of Detained Protesters: The immediate release of all protesters arrested in Kashmir and Pakistan.

Accountability: A demand that the Muslim Conference reportedly backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) be labeled a terrorist group for its alleged role in the Muzaffarabad firing.

What makes this protest movement particularly significant is the broad support it has received. This is not just one group of people with a narrow agenda. The protests have been backed by lawyers’ associations, civil society groups, and people from all walks of life.When lawyers support a protest movement, it adds credibility because these are educated professionals who understand law and rights. Civil society groups represent various segments of the population, showing that the concerns are widespread.This broad coalition makes it harder for the government to dismiss the protests as the work of troublemakers or outside agitators. These are genuine grievances from ordinary people who feel they have no other way to make their voices heard.As things stand, the situation remains tense. The temporary pause in protests has given everyone some time to think, but the underlying issues remain unresolved. The government has shown it is willing to use force and shut down communications to maintain control, but these measures only address the symptoms, not the root causes of the unrest.With the AAC promising to resume protests on October 15, both sides have a limited window to find a solution. Will the government finally address the people’s demands seriously? Or will the protests resume and possibly escalate further?The people of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir have made their message clear: after seventy years of waiting, their patience has run out. They want action, not promises. They want their rights, not excuses. And they are willing to keep fighting until they get what they deserve.The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether this conflict can be resolved peacefully through dialogue and genuine reform, or whether it will continue to simmer and potentially explode into something even larger. One thing is certain: the people have spoken, and they are not going back to silence and acceptance.

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