RAWALAKOT, Pakistan-administered Kashmir: Fresh reports of a security crackdown in Rawalakot, Poonch and parts of Bagh district have deepened fear and anger across Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has led months of protests for political representation, affordable electricity, employment and other basic rights.
According to JAAC claims, videos and audio messages circulating on social media, security forces launched an operation around Rawalakot’s Daraik area, the bus terminal and nearby protest sites. Activists allege that automatic light and heavy weapons were used against protesters, including women and children who had been sitting peacefully since June 9. They also claim that drones were used to target homes and figures associated with the movement.
Independent verification remains difficult because journalists and rights monitors say they have limited access to the affected areas. However, local reports and JAAC sources say three people were killed and at least eight injured near Daraik and around the Rawalakot bus terminal. Reports published by Kashmir Times and Voicepk identified the deceased as Ehtisham Younis, Atif Jarjees and Adil Rasheed.
On Friday, tens of thousands gathered for the funeral prayers of the three men in Rawalakot. The deaths appeared to bring more residents onto the streets, with protesters gathering around sit-in sites and demanding an end to violence.
A civil society leader said the authorities were trying to provoke people into violence, but that protesters remained committed to peaceful resistance. “This is a political issue,” he said. “It must be resolved through peaceful negotiation, not force.”
The JAAC began its protest movement in June, demanding civil and political rights, lower living costs and greater autonomy. The group was later banned under anti terrorism laws, while authorities detained activists and restricted communications. Reuters reported that earlier clashes in Rawalakot had already killed civilians and security personnel, prompting a wider crackdown.
Rights groups, including Amnesty International and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, have raised concern over the use of force, arrests, internet restrictions and pressure on the media.
As funerals turned into mass gatherings, many Kashmiris in Rawalakot said they would remain vigilant but peaceful. Their message was simple: they seek dignity, representation and fundamental human rights through dialogue, not bullets.
