New Delhi

A civilian is thrown off a bridge while a policeman is lynched by a mob and young school girls crying after being canned and tear-gassed by the police are some of the horrifying images coming out through social media from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. At one place, the protesters are seen waving the Indian flag as they chant “Cheen ke lenge azadi,” (We will snatch freedom).

Across towns and villages of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) angry mobs are seen clashing with Police and Army men are coming out through social media. 

Though the mainstream Pakistani media has nearly ignored these developments happening over a few days now, the Dawn newspaper has put out a toned version of the near rebellion happening in the occupied part of the J&K.

It says, “A crippling shutter down and chakka jam strike was observed in almost all parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Friday on the call of a people’s action committee, during which state capital Muzaffarabad witnessed a violent confrontation between police and some demonstrators in different neighborhoods till late Friday evening.”

At many places, the policemen wbore the brunt of the mob fury as is seen in this video shared by netozens on X:

What's happening in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir ?
pic.twitter.com/7hzioYEJWu

— Pawan Durani (@PawanDurani) May 11, 2024

The trigger for the simmering anger over rising costs of basics like wheat and vegetables and above all the hugely inflated power bills came when the local notables and leaders formed an action committee and gave a call for a march to Muzaffrabad, the capital of the occupied territory.

In December last year, it had reached an understanding with an official reconciliation committee, following which a notification was also issued by the government on February 4. However, in April the committee had announced that it would stage a long march on May 11 in protest against the “non-fulfillment of the written commitments” by the government.

At Dadyal where the mob lynched a deputy SHO, several policemen were injured in lynching and these video wwere shared by X:

Muzaffarabad, PoK: Demonstrators and Pakistani security forces come face-to-face. Locals gherao and beat up the police after Pakistan closes all the entry and exit routes in the occupied region. pic.twitter.com/P8Ul6N4m6A

— Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) May 11, 2024

In three districts of Muzaffarabad division, all businesses, including banks, remained closed, and traffic and vendors were off the roads on Friday. Reports of violent clashes came from Poonch, Mirpur, Rawlakot, Dadyal, Neelum Valley, Kotli, etc. and some of these areas are at a stone’s throw from J&K areas, right next to the Line of Control.

As Pakistan faces serious issues of economic breakdown and political uncertainty, the Pakistani Taliban  has extended its support to protesters in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir In a handout, the militant group asked the POK residents “to start an armed struggle against Pakistan Army as the latter only understands the language of force.”

Prof. Sajjad Raja, a POK resident living in exile in the UK shared the video of long march in Muzaffarabad on X:

Long March towards #Muzaffarabad continues in #Pakistani Occupied #JammuAndKashmir. https://t.co/RzvAWxzkRz

— Professor Sajjad Raja (@NEP_JKGBL) May 12, 2024

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Some of the images and videos are too chocking to be posted in the news portals. The opne of a demonstrator running from police and falling in Kishenganga river as the scene is filmed from the other bank is too chocking.

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