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The Joint Awami Action Committee also acknowledged the role played by overseas Kashmiris, saying the diaspora had made an important contribution to the movement
Supporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) gather during a weeks-long protest in Neelum Valley, in PoK. (AFP)
The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), spearheading the ongoing rights movement in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), has announced the continuation of shutter-down and wheel-jam strikes across the region, while warning that a proposed “Long March” remains on the table and can be activated at any moment if efforts at dialogue fail.
The announcement came after a meeting of the committee on Wednesday amid continuing protests and political tensions following recent unrest, including the Rawalakot incident.
In a declaration issued after the meeting, the committee paid tribute to traders, transport workers, journalists, lawyers, students, women and residents who have participated in the movement, describing their response as a show of resilience against what it called oppression.
The committee also acknowledged the role played by overseas Kashmiris, saying the diaspora had made an important contribution to the movement and would continue to be expected to support future mobilisation efforts.
Reiterating that its agitation is peaceful and focused on securing the rights of local residents, the JAAC rejected allegations that the movement was being directed by foreign interests. The committee accused unnamed elements of attempting to portray the protests as “Indian-sponsored” or anti-Pakistan and invited Pakistani journalists, intellectuals, civil society groups, bar associations and political leaders to visit protest sites and assess the situation first-hand.
“The movement is entirely peaceful and democratic,” the committee said, insisting that those making allegations against the protesters should independently examine the sit-ins taking place across the region.
The JAAC also blamed the signatories of the Sephri Agreement signed on October 4, 2025, for the current crisis and held what it described as the ruling elite in PoK responsible for incidents that have taken place since then, including the violence in Rawalakot.
While the committee had earlier indicated that it would unveil the next phase of its agitation on June 24, it said appeals from religious scholars, lawyers, journalists, political leaders and business representatives seeking a negotiated resolution had prompted it to temporarily hold back on escalating the movement.
However, the committee made clear that the proposed Long March had not been abandoned.
Keeping pressure on the authorities, it announced that all ongoing sit-ins would continue and appealed to traders, transporters, students, lawyers, journalists and other sections of society to maintain shutter-down and wheel-jam strikes while expanding protests wherever possible in PoK and abroad.
The statement also stressed the need for unity among supporters, warning that the movement could shift into a more aggressive phase if negotiations fail to produce results.
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Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Islamabad, Pakistan
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