Opinion | Why the People of POK are on the Streets

When the voices of the hungry, the grieving, and the dispossessed converge, no wall of privilege can hold back the tide of truth.

The political and social atmosphere in Pakistan-administered Kashmir has grown increasingly unsettled as ordinary people rise against economic burdens, elite privileges, and the failures of governance. At the heart of this uprising stands the Joint Awami Action Committee, a broad coalition of traders, transporters, lawyers, students, and civil society groups that has emerged as the voice of the common citizen. What began as a call to reduce electricity bills and provide affordable wheat has turned into a full-fledged struggle for dignity and accountability.

The JAAC has laid out a charter of demands that is striking in its simplicity and fairness. It calls for electricity tariffs to match the actual cost of production, subsidies on wheat flour to ease household burdens, elimination of the perks enjoyed by an insulated elite, empowerment of local governments to bring governance closer to the people, and institutional reform to ensure accountability. These are not utopian ideals but the minimum expectations of any functioning democracy.

In May 2024, the depth of public anger was evident when six days of shutter-down strikes and wheel-jam protests paralysed the region. The government responded with a relief package worth billions, promising subsidies on wheat and electricity. For a moment, it seemed as though the people’s voice had been heard. Yet promises faded into half-measures, and the deeper structures of inequality remained firmly in place.

By September 2025, it became clear that little had changed. Inflation continued to bite into already strained household budgets. Electricity tariffs remained beyond the reach of ordinary families. Local governments still lacked real authority. The JAAC, carrying the trust of the people, once again called for a region-wide lockdown beginning September 29. Negotiations between the committee, the POK government, and federal ministers dragged on for over 13 hours but collapsed without progress. Officials argued that demands such as scrapping refugee seats in the assembly or abolishing constitutional perks required legislative action beyond their immediate powers. For citizens, these explanations only reinforced the impression of a state unwilling to confront entrenched privilege.

The government’s response has been marked by coercion rather than dialogue. Security forces have been deployed, flag marches staged, and warnings issued that strict action will be taken against those attempting to shut down markets or block roads. Internet access has been restricted at times to prevent mobilisation. Yet these measures betray not strength but fear. They reveal a government more intent on controlling the people than on listening to them.

The protests have exposed the stark divide between rulers and the ruled. On one side is an entrenched elite insulated by perks, privileges, and reserved assembly seats. On the other side are ordinary citizens struggling with high tariffs, soaring food prices, unemployment, and the absence of real representation. The JAAC’s success lies in uniting these voices of discontent into a common platform that transcends class and profession. Traders, transporters, farmers, students, and professionals now stand shoulder to shoulder, demanding a fairer order.

The moral power of the movement lies in its restraint and clarity. It has not called for upheaval, but for reforms rooted in justice and equity. Its 38-point charter is neither radical nor destabilising; it simply seeks to bring governance into line with the needs of the people. To oppose such demands is not to defend stability but to defend inequality.

Critics argue that shutdowns and strikes disrupt daily life, but the truth is that daily life has already been disrupted by unaffordable electricity, inflation, and the collapse of trust in institutions. Protest is the last language left when every other form of appeal is ignored. What the people of POK are doing is not disorder but democracy in its rawest form. They are reminding the state that sovereignty belongs to the people, and governance must answer to them.

The road ahead is fraught with uncertainty. If the government relies solely on repression, anger will harden into deeper resentment. If it makes token concessions without real reform, trust will erode further. But if it approaches the JAAC with sincerity, confronts privilege, empowers local institutions, and delivers on its promises, then these protests may become the turning point for a more democratic and accountable future.

This moment is not only about electricity bills or wheat prices. It is about the fundamental right of a people to be treated with dignity and fairness. It is about rejecting a system where power is an instrument of privilege rather than service. And it is about affirming that citizens are not subjects but partners in governance.

The protests sweeping POK are a warning to those who mistake silence for consent. They show that when hardship and injustice reach a breaking point, people will rise. They will shut down roads, markets, and offices not because they wish for chaos but because they demand change. Their struggle is not against order but against the disorder imposed by inequality and neglect.

At this historic juncture, POK stands at a crossroads. One path leads back to the old order of broken promises and elite privilege. The other path, though more challenging, leads toward a society where governance is accountable, institutions are responsive, and every citizen’s dignity is upheld. The people have made their choice clear. It is now for the government to decide whether to resist or to rise with them.

Author can be reached on : tahirtahirhmiriir@gmail.com