JAAC strike: Markets, streets deserted in AJK's Muzaffarabad but no demonstrations held

Lead

Markets and streets in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), were largely deserted on Tuesday as the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) observed a strike. Shops remained closed and vehicular traffic was minimal, with riot police and paramilitary personnel deployed in the city. No demonstrations were witnessed in the capital, according to Dawn.

Meanwhile, AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore urged a return to the negotiating table to end the tensions that have gripped the region in recent days.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting on the strike differed slightly between Dawn and The Hindu. Dawn, which provided the most detailed account of the day's events, noted that the strike observed in Muzaffarabad was marked by empty streets and a heavy security presence, but no protests. The Hindu, framing the events as part of a broader unrest in the region, reported that shops and markets remained closed across different parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and cited reports of over 20 deaths in recent police action.

The Hindu also referenced a protest march of about 2,000 people that had launched from Bhimber, with some protesters heading toward Mirpur and onward to Muzaffarabad. This march was planned by the JAAC, which had announced a long march from Bhimber through Mirpur, Kotli, and Poonch to Muzaffarabad for a sit-in outside the Legislative Assembly, as reported by Dawn.

Dawn, meanwhile, reported that government officials expressed confidence that the strike and march would receive a tepid response, citing the recent crackdown that had rounded up more than 200 people and forced the group's leadership into hiding. One official said that "the JAAC leadership and crowd-pullers are on the run" and that they had not been able to pull numbers onto the streets, though small protests remained a possibility. Another official said it had been "firmly decided that protesters will not be allowed to assemble anywhere."

Key Claims

• Shops and markets were largely shut in Muzaffarabad, and vehicular traffic was minimal, as reported by Dawn and The Hindu.
• Riot police and paramilitary personnel remained deployed in the city, according to Dawn.
• No demonstrations were witnessed in Muzaffarabad, according to Dawn.
• Hundreds of people had gathered in Mirpur's Quaid-i-Azam stadium, with local journalist Sajjad Jarral telling Dawn, "Shops are closed here and traffic is off the roads."
• The legal fraternity of AJK boycotted judicial proceedings on the call of the AJK Bar Council to protest the alleged arrest of senior lawyer Amjad Ali Khan, a core member of the JAAC, as reported by Dawn.
• The JAAC's protest call was centered on a demand to abolish the 12 seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir who settled in mainland Pakistan after 1947, according to Dawn. The JAAC alleges that these seats were used by mainstream Pakistani political parties to influence government formation, while the government maintains the matter is constitutional and cannot be decided by one group.
• The Hindu reported that over 20 people have reportedly been killed in recent police action in the region, and that around 2,000 protesters launched a march from Bhimber. It also cited Pakistan's human rights body as being "deeply alarmed" by the ongoing violence in PoK, and reported that authorities on Tuesday announced a reward for information leading to the arrest of key JAAC leaders.
• Dawn reported that the JAAC had been declared a proscribed organisation on Friday, with the government stating it was "engaged in terrorism" and had acted in a manner "prejudicial to peace and security." A day later, authorities launched a crackdown, arresting scores of leaders and activists.

Perspectives

Government of AJK (via Dawn reports): Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore urged a return to the negotiating table. Officials stated that the march would not be allowed and expressed hope for a tepid response to the strike, citing the crackdown. The government maintains that the demand regarding the 12 reserved seats is a constitutional matter and cannot be decided by one group.

JAAC (as reported by Dawn): The committee's protest call centered on the demand to abolish the 12 reserved seats, alleging they were used to influence government formation. The group had announced plans for a long march and sit-in, but its leadership was reported to be on the run.

AJK Bar Council (as reported by Dawn): The council called for a boycott of judicial proceedings to protest the alleged arrest of senior lawyer Amjad Ali Khan.

Pakistan's human rights body (as reported by The Hindu): The body said it was "deeply alarmed" by the ongoing violence in PoK.