Srinagar, July 29: Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) remained tense a day after voting in the Legislative Assembly elections, with the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) declaring that its protest movement would continue despite weeks of unrest, deadly clashes and heightened security across the region, according to GK News.
The elections were held under tight security following months of demonstrations over 12 reserved Assembly seats allocated to refugees from Jammu and Kashmir who now live elsewhere in Pakistan. JAAC has demanded the abolition of these seats, arguing that only permanent residents of Azad Jammu & Kashmir should have the right to elect representatives to the region’s legislature.
The controversy deepened after the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir upheld the constitutional status of the reserved seats, a ruling that protesters say ignores the democratic aspirations of local residents.
Rawalakot, the center of the movement, has witnessed repeated confrontations between protesters and security forces in recent weeks. Pakistani authorities have maintained that security personnel acted in self-defense after coming under attack during protests. JAAC leaders and rights activists, however, have accused the authorities of using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators while failing to engage in meaningful dialogue.
According to Al Jazeera, at least 28 people have been killed since the protests began in June, while many others have reportedly been injured. Internet restrictions and a heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces remain in place across several districts.
JAAC leaders have also alleged that security forces opened fire on peaceful, unarmed protesters during demonstrations in Mirpur, Kotli, Rawalakot, Hajira and Plandri, resulting in deaths and injuries across different parts of Azad Jammu & Kashmir. These allegations have circulated widely through activist networks and social media, but many of the reported incidents have not been independently verified by international observers.
The protest movement has also accused Pakistani and Azad Jammu & Kashmir media of giving a very limited coverage to the alleged human rights violations and the JAAC-led long marches and demonstrations. Protest organizers claim that while social media platforms have carried extensive videos and eyewitness accounts, much of the electronic and print media has largely focused on official statements, prompting criticism over what activists describe as inadequate reporting of events unfolding across the region.
Despite the security crackdown, JAAC has vowed to continue peaceful protests, saying its campaign seeks greater democratic representation, constitutional rights and political accountability for the people of Azad Jammu & Kashmir.
