Muzaffarabad: Chaos gripped the streets of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s (PoK) capital, Muzaffarabad, for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, as simmering resentment against Islamabad boiled over into violent confrontations reminiscent of civil strife.
Thousands of Kashmiris, chanting anti-Pakistan slogans and marching in defiance, faced a brutal crackdown from local police and Frontier Corps paramilitary forces, who resorted to tear gas shells to disperse the swelling crowds.
Enraged protesters retaliated with a barrage of stones, chasing away security vehicles and forcing officers to scramble for cover in a frantic bid to escape.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of pandemonium: police vans speeding through debris-littered roads, while jawans abandoned posts amid the onslaught.
Undeterred by warning shots fired into the air, the demonstrators held firm, their resolve unshaken.
The unrest rippled beyond Muzaffarabad to districts like Rawalakot and Kotli, where massive processions decried Pakistani rule. “The people of PoK will no longer bow to Islamabad’s dictates,” roared the participants, signalling a seismic shift in sentiment.
The Awami Action Committee, leading a region-wide shutdown on Wednesday due to 38 unfulfilled demands, is at the centre of the turmoil. Committee leader Sardar Umar Nazir declared no talks until Pakistani forces withdraw from PoK and internet-calling services are restored. Colleague Shaukat Nawaz Mir accused the Pakistan Army and ISI of stifling dissent, vowing to expose their tactics — mirroring mainland suppression — on global forums.
As Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir grapple with this escalating crisis, the protests underscore a growing chasm: PoK’s quest for autonomy clashing against Pakistan’s unyielding control. As tomorrow’s strikes approach, the delicate peace remains precarious, attracting cautious observers from both sides of the border.