Public unrest escalates in PoJK as the Joint Awami Action Committee calls for an indefinite shutdown and wheel-jam strike. Protesters accuse the 'puppet government' of inaction and failing to engage in dialogue over long-pending demands.
Political and public unrest has intensified in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, with the Joint Awami Action Committee announcing an indefinite shutdown and wheel-jam strike across the region, escalating its confrontation with the authorities over long-pending demands and alleged government inaction.
The committee has called on traders to keep markets closed and residents to suspend transport services until its demands are addressed. The move comes after months of deadlock between the action committee and the authorities, with protesters accusing the administration of repeatedly delaying meaningful dialogue and failing to implement earlier commitments.
Protesters Slam 'Imposed Puppet Government'
Umar Nazir Kashmiri, Core Member of the Joint Awami Action Committee, alleged that the authorities had failed to engage seriously with the protesters despite repeated assurances. “They have been joking with us for the past four months. There has been no serious meeting or any serious committee formed by the government. They kept saying that a new government was going to be formed. The government was not formed, but an unelected person was made Prime Minister and another person, who belongs to this establishment, was appointed. No one is happy. We all know on what basis these positions are being distributed. You failed to conduct elections in the region, and the people's mandate could not reach those who deserved it. Yet you are making one person the President and another person the Prime Minister. This government, this imposed puppet government, has still not made any serious effort to meet us or engage with us,” he said.
The committee has also opposed what it describes as the installation of political leadership without a genuine electoral mandate, adding to growing dissatisfaction over governance in the region.
Tensions Rise Amid Reports of Clashes, Casualties
Meanwhile, tensions have risen further amid reports of clashes and injuries during protests in different areas. The action committee has alleged that force was used against demonstrators, resulting in casualties. “In Dadyal, a sit-in was held at the entry point. Then force was used, and another young man — may Allah accept his martyrdom — has been martyred. He became a victim of the oppression and violence of the authorities. Many young people have been injured. Yesterday too, young people were injured in Panjeri,” Kashmiri said.
Indefinite Strike Continues as Pressure Mounts
The latest strike call marks another escalation in the standoff between the Joint Awami Action Committee and the authorities. With markets and transport now being targeted as part of the agitation, pressure is mounting on the administration to open dialogue and address the protesters' grievances. The committee has warned that the strike will continue indefinitely, keeping the region on edge and raising questions over whether authorities will take concrete steps to resolve the impasse or allow the confrontation to deepen. (ANI)
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