Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee

Local protests over rising commodity and electricity prices began in parts of AJK in 2022 and early 2023, often led by traders’ associations and transport unions. These protests included non-payment or symbolic burning of electricity bills, localized shutter-down strikes, and sit-ins; they spread from towns such as Rawalakot to other districts as civic groups and student bodies joined the cause. Over 2023, several local committees and traders’ bodies coordinated action and — by mid-September 2023 — the movement consolidated into a broader, region-wide joint action committee that coordinated strike calls and long-march plans. Journalistic coverage and local commentaries describe the JAAC as a coalition of trade bodies, transporters, lawyers, and student groups that became the main civil-society platform for this agitation. Although the AJK government attempted limited reconciliation—such as withdrawing a proposed increase in electricity bills and maintaining tariffs at the July 2023 level, a decision that reportedly burdened the local exchequer by Rs10–12 billion—these measures proved insufficient to quell the widespread discontent. The public remained critical, especially in light of the more favourable subsidies provided to Gilgit-Baltistan. The burgeoning movement gained decisive momentum in May 2023, following the launch of a sustained sit-in outside a flour depot in Supply Bazaar, Rawalakot, primarily targeting the soaring price of wheat. This localized protest served as the organizational nucleus, demonstrating the potential for civil society to organize around immediate economic pain. Post-formation, the JAAC quickly mobilized on a massive scale. By October 10, 2023, the committee had successfully organized large rallies across AJK that included women and children. This resilience was tested but maintained even during the severe winter months. In November 2023, the JAAC staged a similar protest that ultimately ended after the AJK government provided assurances to address their concerns. However, the failure of the government to implement these promises became the direct and central trigger for the large-scale confrontations that followed in 2024. ==2024 Azad Kashmir protests==

In May 2024, a six-day wave of protests, sit-ins, and strikes swept AJK. What began as demands for subsidised flour and lower electricity tariffs escalated into mass demonstrations across major towns; JAAC emerged as a principal organiser and interlocutor. Recognizing the momentum, the Muzaffarabad Public Action Committees called for a "long march" toward the capital on May 11, 2024. The authorities attempted to manage the situation by declaring a two-day holiday and officially requesting paramilitary troops from Pakistan. However, the government's attempt to preempt the large planned demonstration on May 12 by arresting JAAC leaders severely inflamed the public response, resulting in deadly clashes. The confrontations between protestors and law enforcement resulted in casualties, including at least three protestors and one police officer. On May 13, 2024, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif announced a substantial federal grant totalling Rs 23 billion (approximately $82 million) for Azad Kashmir. Following this announcement, AJK Premier Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq announced immediate subsidies and reduced utility rates. Following those concessions, the JAAC announced the suspension of major actions on 14 May 2024. The concessions marked a significant victory for the JAAC. The subsidised rates implemented included: • Wheat Flour: The price was reduced substantially from Rs 3,100 to Rs 2,000 per 40 kilograms. • Electricity Tariffs: Prices were drastically cut for consumers, fixed at Rs3 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the first 100 units, Rs5 per kWh for 100–300 units, and Rs6 per kWh for consumption above 300 units. Additionally, a judicial commission was established to review the excessive privileges enjoyed by top government officials in AJK. Later in 2024, the AJK executive promulgated the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Ordinance, 2024, which critics said sought to restrict unregistered organisations’ ability to assemble; the measure sparked further protests and legal challenges and was subject to judicial scrutiny. Human rights and local groups reported arrests, criminal cases against participants, and continuing tensions between civil actors and the government. ==2025 Azad Kashmir protests==

JAAC/JKJAAC re-emerged as a mass organiser in 2025 with fresh demands and a wider charter (news outlets report multi-point charters running into dozens of items). In late September 2025, the coalition announced a region-wide lockdown/shutter-down and wheel-jam strike (a date publicised for 29 September), and leaders mobilised large rallies in Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Kotli, Mirpur, Bhimber and various other cities and towns. In anticipation of the severe economic and political disruption, the Federal Government of Pakistan intervened. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif engaged in consultations and publicly urged the JAAC to withdraw the call, promising to contact and invite representatives for dialogue. High-level marathon talks were subsequently held, involving JAAC negotiators, the AJK government, and two federal ministers, Amir Muqam and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. The negotiations reportedly spanned almost 13 hours. However, the dialogue ultimately collapsed, ending inconclusively due to an unbridgeable deadlock over two key structural demands. The two demands that proved non-negotiable and led to the collapse of the talks were: • Abolition of Elite Privileges: The insistence on eliminating the expensive perks, luxuries, and privileges enjoyed by AJK ministers, lawmakers, and bureaucrats. • Removal of Refugee Seats: The termination of the 12 reserved seats in the AJK Assembly for Kashmiri migrants settled in Pakistan. JAAC negotiators, led by figures like Shaukat Nawaz Mir, walked out, branding the talks as "incomplete and inconclusive" and affirming their commitment to observing the indefinite lockdown with "full force". This failure to reach an agreement confirms that while the Federation is willing to financially sustain AJK through massive subsidies, it draws a firm political line at reforms that challenge its structural influence or threaten the entrenched political patronage network. State-wide strike In preparation for the announced lockdown on September 29, 2025, security was severely heightened, and entry and exit points across the region were sealed. Crucially, mobile and internet services were suspended across major parts of Azad Kashmir, a measure ordered by Pakistan's Ministry of Interior. The mandated communication blackout reflects the state's recognition of the JAAC's advanced organizational capacity, confirming that the movement is viewed as a significant security threat warranting severe state intervention to impede coordination. Despite these suppressive measures, the indefinite lockdown commenced as planned. The strike turned violent when clashes broke out at Neelum Bridge between JKJAAC activists and members of the Muslim Conference, during which gunfire by Raja Saqib Majeed and his brother left several injured and one protester, Sudheer, dead. The incident sparked larger demonstrations in Muzaffarabad and other districts, with JKJAAC leaders condemning the violence and vowing to continue protests until their demands were addressed. Authorities denied allegations of excessive force and pledged legal action against rioters, while federal officials including Amir Muqam and Tariq Fazal called for renewed dialogue. Following the violence, JKJAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir addressed nearly 5,000 people at Lal Chowk, Muzaffarabad, where he clarified that the movement held no hostility toward the Pakistan Army and would not act against it. He announced that a rally would be carried out along Neelum Road in Chehlabandi with the body of Sudheer, the protester killed in the clashes. Mir also rejected Pakistani media reports claiming that no one had joined the demonstrations, calling them fabricated attempts to portray the situation as normal. At the same time, solidarity protests were staged by the Kashmiri diaspora in London and Bradford, where Raja Amjad Ali Khan delivered a speech outside the Pakistani consulate. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies in AJK warned protesters that if public property was damaged or normal life disrupted, stronger action would be taken. ==References==