Tensions have continued to remain tense in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), with thousands organising a candlelight march from Rawalakot to Muzaffarabad on Wednesday night.
The candlelight march was called by Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has been banned in Pakistan under anti-terror laws, in protest over the death of 20 people during police action in the region.
The JAAC, which urged people to gather in large numbers at local Eidgah grounds, claimed the Pakistani Army tried to stop the march by digging a road outside the office of the Sudhan Educational Conference. Sources also told India TV that terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) have been directed to spread messages against the JAAC.
However, their attempts were futile as thousands gathered for the candlelight march, staging a massive protest against the atrocities that are being carried out by Pakistani forces in the region. Several videos have also gone viral that showed the massive gathering of the people.
“This massive gathering of people shows… those who are sitting on the throne in Islamabad… we are your death,” the protesters could be heard saying in one of the videos.
JAAC’s demand and Pakistan’s crackdown
The JAAC has held multiple protests in PoK over many issues, including unemployment, price hike, inflation, power outages, and marginalisation of the region. Other than this, one of the key demands of the JAAC has been the abolition of 12 “refugee seats” in PoK’s so-called Legislative Assembly.
The seats are reserved for refugees from Kashmir, who had settled in Pakistan after 1947. The JAAC has called it illegal and a move against the locals.ย
Pakistan and its forces have taken a brutal action against the protest, with the country’s human rights body describing the situation as “deeply alarming”. According to reports, 11 people have died in these protests, with Pakistani authorities clamping down on the protesters.ย
They have also announced a Rs 10 million award for those who provide details that could lead to the arrest of top JAAC leaders such as Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Omar Nazir Kashmiri, Sardar Aman and Khawaja Mehran.
India has been keeping an eye on the situation and has said it is deeply concerned. “We continue to see, in this context, a pattern of fake news and videos emanating from Pakistan. It is a desperate attempt by Pakistan to cover up its own failings and deflect attention away from its human rights abuses,” said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Tuesday.
ALSO READ – PoK erupts in protest against Pakistan government; 11 killed in deadly clashes; what’s the matter?