PoJK Stir Intensifies: JAAC Issues 48-Hour Ultimatum To Islamabad, Warns of 'Grand and Final' Action on July 9

New Delhi: Amid the political storm intensifying in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has issued a 48-hour deadline to the government in Islamabad, threatening a "grand and final response" on July 9 if their conditions remain unfulfilled.

In a formal declaration, the committee announced that its current sit-in protest will persist indefinitely until all of its demands are satisfied. The committee has called upon residents throughout PoK and members of the Kashmiri diaspora to participate in the protest scheduled for July 9. 

The JAAC has formally requested that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and international media outlets travel to Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) to observe the prevailing situation on the ground for themselves.

Notably, following the protests on July 5, the JAAC has announced a fresh round of demonstrations scheduled for July 9, urging the public to remain prepared should Pakistani authorities fail to meet their demands.

What the statement read

The JAAC issued a compelling statement urging the public to begin preparations immediately, warning that there may be no time left after the upcoming July 9 deadline.

Appealing  the people of the Poonch and Mirpur Divisions, the committee called on them to replicate the determination they showed during the long march on June 9, asking them to stand ready to move toward Poonch once again, accompanied by their families.

The statement lauded the courage of the women of the Mirpur Division, who recently made history by confronting state forces and securing the release of their detained brothers despite police gunfire.

Emphasising that the people's resolve remains unshaken, the committee challenged the authorities to continue their aggression, asserting that while the state may run out of bullets, the protesters' resolve will not falter. 

Ultimately, the JAAC declared that the presence of mothers, sisters, and daughters at their gatherings serves as a defiant signal that the public will not be intimidated by arrests, bombs, or threats of violence.

The statement said, “We have said this before: your guns will run out of bullets, but our chests will not fall short! Test us as much as you want! Go ahead and try raining down your bullets! You tried using bombs at this protest, but look toda, look!”

PoJK Crackdown Trauma Reaches Britain

Tensions have transcended regional borders too as overseas Kashmiris taged a large demonstration in London on Sunday, protesting the Pakistani authorities’ intensified crackdown in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), including the arrest of over 600 civil rights activists and the use of lethal force against demonstrators.

Organized under the banner of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), the London gathering drew significant participation from the Kashmiri diaspora. 

A post by the Awami Action Committee on X described it as “a massive gathering of overseas Kashmiris in London,” highlighting solidarity with ongoing protests inside PoJK. Similar demonstrations were reported in other cities, including in Auckland, New Zealand.

Advocate Mehran Khawaja, in a video statement, called on Kashmiris living abroad and supporters worldwide to escalate peaceful protests against what he termed Pakistan’s repression, marked by widespread human rights violations, a prolonged internet shutdown, arbitrary arrests, and excessive force by security forces.

“The situation in Pakistani-occupied Jammu and Kashmir is getting worse by the hour,” activist Amjad Ayub Mirza stated, noting that more than 600 JAAC workers and activists have been detained following the arrest of JAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir.

Why the protests

This call to action follows ongoing demonstrations in the region organized by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which maintains that its campaign is a peaceful push for basic fundamental rights.

Pak's brutality intensifies in PoJK

Police brutality by Pakistani forces on Sunday intensified against people protesting against the severe crackdown by Islamabad and the sweeping arrests of more than 600 civil rights activists in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), with reports of shelling, firing and clashes emerging from several parts of Muzaffarabad.

According to the information shared by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) on X, security forces resorted to shelling in Muzaffarabad and damaged the motorcycles of several youths during the protests. The police and Pakistan Rangers fired tear gas shells at protesters as demonstrations continued in the city.

Reports further stated that clashes between protesters and security personnel were reported from multiple areas, including Mank Piyan, Sangi Mera, Tareeqaabad, Lower Chhatra and Beila Noor Shah.

Separate posts also stated that intense shelling and firing occurred in the Lower Chhatra area of Muzaffarabad as tensions escalated.

Amnesty condemns the act

As this happened, global watchdog group Amnesty International strongly condemned Pakistan's heavy-handed tactics ahead of the upcoming regional elections.

Amnesty accused authorities of deploying violent measures to suppress peaceful political dissent and violate fundamental human rights, unlawfully designating the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) as a "proscribed organisation".

Amnesty fiercely criticised the ban on the civil rights coalition, labelling it a disproportionate attack on freedom of association and peaceful political activism as international pressure continues to mount against Islamabad.

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