Azad Kashmir Tensions Escalate Amidst Protests and Warnings

Updated: 10:59 AM PKT — June 21, 2026

Former Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Atiq Ahmad stated that recent protests led by the Joint Awami Action Committee resulted in 17 deaths and an economic loss of Rs3 to Rs4 billion. Speaking at a news conference, he said the situation had been prevented from worsening, while another leader, Shah Ghulam Qadir, noted that extremists had begun attacking hospitals during the unrest.

Following weeks of turmoil, the intensity of the protests has reportedly diminished. Life has begun returning to normal in major AJK cities, including Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Bhimber, and Mirpur, with businesses reopening and traffic resuming on the roads.

Updated: 11:43 PM PKT — June 20, 2026

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has intensified its response to ongoing protests, placing 147 activists of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) on the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act. The move comes as a region-wide strike enters its 11th day and a standoff continues in Rawalakot, with authorities reportedly disrupting food supplies to the protest site and compiling lists of government employees supporting the demonstrators.

Meanwhile, prominent AJK political leaders have condemned the protests, labeling the JAAC an “anarchist group” and accusing its leaders of inciting rebellion against Pakistan and its armed forces. They asserted that the vast majority of Kashmiris are pro-Pakistan and highlighted that the government had already provided a Rs 23 billion package for subsidized flour and electricity, suggesting the protests have ulterior motives beyond rights.