From Rawalakot to Muzaffarabad: Women and Students Lead the Surge in PoK Protests

As the Joint Awami Action Committee sets a June 23 deadline, the movement in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has transformed into a massive display of civilian defiance against military and political hegemony.

The streets of Rawalakot have become the epicentre of an escalating crisis that threatens to reshape the political landscape of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). What began as a dispute over the status of 12 legislative seats reserved for refugees has morphed into a widespread, multi-generational uprising. For 14 days, the Eidgah Ground has served as the base for a sit-in involving over 70,000 people, a staggering turnout that persists despite a violent state crackdown, internet blackouts, and reports of at least 20 deaths.

The visual shift in these protests is striking. While the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) provides the structural backbone, the front lines are dominated by students, women, and children. In Tarar Khel, schoolchildren are marching through public squares chanting for independence, while in Mandhole, women are openly denouncing what they describe as the suffocating military and political grip of Islamabad. The placards held by children in Rawalakot—demanding basic rights and free education—reflect a deeper, systemic frustration with governance that has long been simmering under the surface.

The Trigger: Legislative Control and Rigging Claims

At the heart of the unrest lies the contentious decision to abolish reserved seats for refugees who settled in the region after 1947. Protesters argue that this move is a calculated attempt to dilute the local electorate and allow major Pakistani political parties to exert disproportionate influence. These rigging claims have ignited a firestorm, transforming a legislative disagreement into a broader rejection of the current administrative setup ahead of the July 27 elections.

The state’s response has been heavy-handed. Alongside the deployment of brute force and the imposition of sedition charges, authorities have even placed a ₹1 crore bounty on key figures. Yet, the pressure is only mounting. The JAAC has presented a charter of 38 demands and has issued a stern ultimatum: if Islamabad fails to address these concerns by June 23, the movement will escalate into a massive, 100,000-strong march from Rawalakot to the administrative capital of Muzaffarabad.

Why it matters

This is no longer a localized agitation; it is a direct challenge to the status quo in a region where political dissent is typically stifled. The involvement of students and women suggests that the movement has transcended traditional political boundaries, tapping into a visceral demand for self-determination. For Islamabad, the dilemma is acute: concede to the demands and risk losing control over the legislative process, or double down on force and risk a further loss of legitimacy that could destabilize the region entirely. As international attention turns to the deadly crackdown, the optics of children and women facing military pressure are increasingly difficult for the government to manage.