Azad Kashmir Faces Shutdown as Deadly Protests Claim 24 Lives

A territory-wide shutdown in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has paralyzed daily life, as the region grapples with its deadliest unrest in years. At least 24 people have died during nearly two weeks of protests.

The unrest began ahead of a June 9 strike called by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). The civil rights group is protesting the reservation of 12 seats for refugees in the upcoming July 27 elections for the region's 45-seat legislative assembly. These reserved seats are designated for individuals displaced from Indian-administered Kashmir who now live in mainland Pakistan.

The JAAC, which is also demanding economic and governance reforms, has continued its demonstrations despite being banned this month under anti-terrorism laws. The escalating standoff poses a sensitive political challenge for Islamabad.

The death toll has reached 24, including 20 civilians and four law enforcement personnel, according to regional officials and an AFP tally.

Regional Police Chief Liaqat Ali Malik confirmed that nearly 100 officers have been wounded in clashes. Since the unrest began in early June, police have arrested over 500 people linked to the JAAC. Thousands of the group's supporters are currently camped out near Rawalakot, about 100 kilometers south of the regional capital, Muzaffarabad.

To curb the protests, the government has shut main roads, suspended internet and satellite services, and restricted media access.

The prolonged standoff has triggered severe shortages of essential goods. In Muzaffarabad, major markets are closed, ATMs are offline due to internet suspensions, and petrol stations are shut under official orders.

"I have been searching for medicine everywhere, but I cannot find it. Even big stores are closed," 64-year-old resident Muhammad Masqeen told AFP.

Another resident, 60-year-old Sabar Hussain, highlighted the food scarcity: "For eight days, we have been going through very difficult times. Markets are closed, and there is very little to eat except vegetables."

While local government spokesman Shoaib Javed Mir stated that officials are working to prevent shortages and have ordered shops to reopen, supply disruptions continue to restrict available stock.

The shutdown has severely impacted daily wage earners and low-income workers. In Muzaffarabad’s Upper Adda commercial district—usually a bustling hub of grocers and food stalls—laborers sit idle.

"Since June 9, I have not earned a single rupee," said Ikhlaq Ahmed, a 27-year-old day laborer.

For motorcycle taxi driver Asif Naz, the ongoing crisis is devastating. "Those with resources may sustain it," he said, "but for blue-collar workers like us, it is self-slaughter."

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently chaired a high-level meeting in Lahore to review the administrative and political crisis in AJK.

Expressing deep sorrow over the loss of civilian and police lives, Sharif urged protesters to end their sit-ins and engage in meaningful dialogue. Stressing the need for national unity, he appealed to Kashmiris to remain peaceful, adding, "This country belongs to all of us, and we all have to live in it like brothers."