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Thousands took to the streets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Monday, 29 September, demanding structural reforms from the government.
The demonstrators, led by the civil society alliance Awami Action Committee (AAC), called for the abolition of 12 legislative seats in the PoK assembly currently reserved for Kashmiri refugees residing in Pakistan.
They also demanded reforms, including subsidies on flour and electricity, according to media reports.
These demands form part of a broader 38-point charter issued by the AAC, which also calls for the renegotiation of hydropower projects to ensure benefits for local communities.
The AAC organised the mass protest following talks between its leaders and government officials over the weekend.
An AAC leader reportedly stated that the protest stems from decades of pent-up frustration due to prolonged state neglect.
“Our campaign is not against any institution but for the fundamental rights denied to our people for over 70 years. Enough is enough. Either deliver on rights or face the wrath of the people,” Firstpost quoted AAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir as saying.
The Shehbaz Sharif government has since suspended internet and phone services across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Most shops remain closed, and roads are blocked as the Awami Action Committee (AAC) continues its “shutter-down and wheel-jam” strike.
Leaders of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) have called for international intervention in response to the unrest. The party’s spokesperson, Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan, took to X to urge the United Nations and the governments of China, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States to condemn the internet blackout imposed in the region.
"This digital blackout is a blatant attempt to silence dissent and isolate the people from the world during a critical moment of peaceful resistance," Khan said in the post.
Also Read : Nepal Protests 2025: Unrest shows ‘South Asian Spring’ in action
The demonstrators, led by the civil society alliance Awami Action Committee (AAC), called for the abolition of 12 legislative seats in the PoK assembly currently reserved for Kashmiri refugees residing in Pakistan.
They also demanded reforms, including subsidies on flour and electricity, according to media reports.
These demands form part of a broader 38-point charter issued by the AAC, which also calls for the renegotiation of hydropower projects to ensure benefits for local communities.
The AAC organised the mass protest following talks between its leaders and government officials over the weekend.
An AAC leader reportedly stated that the protest stems from decades of pent-up frustration due to prolonged state neglect.
“Our campaign is not against any institution but for the fundamental rights denied to our people for over 70 years. Enough is enough. Either deliver on rights or face the wrath of the people,” Firstpost quoted AAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir as saying.
BIG—Massive
protest in POJK
Roads blocked, shops shut, internet suspended. Additional reinforcements deployed to control protestors. Situation tense! pic.twitter.com/ArxU45xV35
— R.A.W Commentary (@R_Analysis_W) September 29, 2025
The Shehbaz Sharif government has since suspended internet and phone services across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Most shops remain closed, and roads are blocked as the Awami Action Committee (AAC) continues its “shutter-down and wheel-jam” strike.
Leaders of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) have called for international intervention in response to the unrest. The party’s spokesperson, Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan, took to X to urge the United Nations and the governments of China, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States to condemn the internet blackout imposed in the region.
"This digital blackout is a blatant attempt to silence dissent and isolate the people from the world during a critical moment of peaceful resistance," Khan said in the post.
Also Read : Nepal Protests 2025: Unrest shows ‘South Asian Spring’ in action
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