AJK Protesters Reunite as Thousands Return to Sit-In Sites

MUZAFFARABAD: Activists linked to the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) have regrouped for a second consecutive day after law enforcement authorities claimed they had dispersed overnight.

Senior officials stated on Friday that three protest sites on the outskirts of Rawalakot were evacuated after midnight, anticipating security operations. However, thousands of participants, primarily from Mirpur and southern Poonch regions, returned by midday.

The largest assembly at Eidgah Ground, approximately 3.5 kilometers from Rawalakot, attracted around 5,000–6,000 individuals by afternoon, including numerous women and children. Numbers surged further by evening.

Local leaders reported that protesters were reunited under the guidance of Sardar Arbab Advocate, a JAAC organizer from Thorar, who led regrouping at the bus terminal. Committees were established to manage the gathering, with organizers vowing prolonged continuation of the protest.

JAAC spokesperson Sardar Amin urged participants to avoid confrontations with security forces, while internal divisions persisted over strategic options—ranging from marching toward Rawalakot city to initiating a long march toward Muzaffarabad.

Despite official allegations of the campaign’s collapse, JAAC leader Umar Nazir Kashmiri reiterated plans to sustain the sit-in and maintain pressure on authorities. He emphasized that the call for a large-scale march had not been withdrawn.

Simultaneously, a statewide shutdown enforced by JAAC entered its fifth day, with most markets in Muzaffarabad and other areas remaining closed. Essential businesses operated minimally in the evenings to meet urgent demands.

Government sources confirmed targeted measures against JAAC leadership, including blocking national identity cards and passports of 31 core members. Unverified reports indicated possible detentions of individuals suspected of facilitating funding from abroad.

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