AJK Strike Continues Amid Tightening Crackdown and Internet Blackout

A partial strike and sit-ins by activists of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) persist across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), now entering their fourth day on the outskirts of Rawalakot. The ongoing agitation has led authorities to tighten their grip, with businesses belonging to key JAAC activists being seized and raids conducted in attempts to apprehend them.

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Yesterday, I had to travel to Garhi Habibullah in neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to submit some documents online, and there I saw dozens of other students and citizens who had arrived from Muzaffarabad to use the internet for various urgent purposes.

The disruption extends to essential communication services, as an internet outage has now lasted for eight consecutive days. This prolonged suspension has caused significant hardship for students and freelancers who rely on online access for their education and livelihoods. Many have been forced to travel to neighboring regions, like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, simply to submit documents or access online resources, highlighting the severe impact on daily life and economic activity.

Witnesses report that while protest gatherings have seen participants disperse temporarily, core members remain committed, with numbers swelling again in the evenings. A notable presence of women has also been observed at the protest sites. Meanwhile, most towns in Muzaffarabad Division and other parts of AJK observed a shutdown, with public transport remaining suspended for the fifth day.

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Not everyone can afford to travel outside their towns, so I urge the authorities not to ruin our future and to restore internet services without further ado.

In response to the escalating situation, former AJK president and prime minister Sardar Yaqoob Khan appealed to JAAC leaders to demonstrate a "good gesture" by ending their agitation unconditionally. He expressed deep concern over the ongoing unrest, stating, "My heart bleeds because my home is burning."

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My heart bleeds because my home is burning.

Reports indicate that police in Muzaffarabad raided a men's hostel in search of Sohaib Javed, a key JAAC member, but he was not found. The administration's actions, including business seizures and raids, signal a determined effort to quell the ongoing protests and restore order in the region.

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show a “good gesture” and end their agitation unconditionally.