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  "path": "/partner/jaac-vows-kashmir-protest-march",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-07T13:25:33.000Z",
  "site": "https://nukta.com",
  "textContent": "\n\n\n\nMembers of a banned protest group in Pakistan-administered Kashmir have vowed to press ahead with a mass rally on June 9, days after the Azad Kashmir government listed the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) under anti-terror laws for allegedly \"creating anarchy.\" The standoff raises the prospect of renewed unrest in the Himalayan region.\n\n#### Why are protesters defying the ban in Pakistan-administered Kashmir?\n\nThe JAAC, which has led a sustained campaign for economic and governance reforms in Azad Kashmir, says the terrorism designation is politically motivated. The group has called for a \"historic long march\" on June 9, arguing that banning a peaceful civil movement under anti-terror laws is an act of oppression. Seventy-two members were detained on Saturday, but the group says public support remains firm.\n\n#### What does the JAAC want from the government?\n\nThe committee's demands center on economic relief and political reform. It has called for lower energy prices, free healthcare, and the abolition of 12 legislative seats reserved for Kashmiris who left what is now India-administered Kashmir. The JAAC argues those seats allow major Pakistani political parties to manipulate the composition of the local parliament with voters who mostly live outside the region.\n\nPakistan's Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, pushed back on Sunday, saying 35 of the group's 38 demands had already been met. \"It's negative and false propaganda that government hasn't addressed the demands,\" he said at a press conference.\n\n#### What is the situation on the ground in Azad Kashmir?\n\nMuzaffarabad, the region's largest city, was tense on Sunday. A visible security force presence had been deployed across the city, and residents rushed to stock up on supplies amid fears of imminent lockdowns, according to an _AFP_ journalist on the ground.\n\nInternet access was also disrupted. Digital monitor Netblocks reported \"a major disruption to internet connectivity\" in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and residents said mobile internet had been unavailable over the weekend. The United Kingdom's Foreign Office updated its travel guidance on Saturday, advising its citizens to avoid all but essential travel to the area.\n\n#### How has the JAAC responded to the terrorism designation?\n\nJAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir rejected the label outright in an audio message on Saturday night. \"We are not against any country, institution or individual — to link our peaceful struggle with terrorism is a great oppression,\" he said, urging supporters to join the June 9 march. Supporters echoed that resolve. \"This decision has neither weakened the committee's resolve nor diminished public support,\" said Muhammad Al Musadiq, a 23-year-old student in Muzaffarabad.\n\nThe crackdown drew criticism beyond Kashmir's borders. Mushahid Hussain Sayed, former head of the Pakistan Senate's defense committee, described the government's use of anti-terror laws against political dissenters as \"misguided.\" He posted on X: \"Wrong decision at wrong time, repeating past mistakes of mishandling dissent.\"\n\n#### What is the history of JAAC protests in Pakistani Kashmir?\n\nThe JAAC has led protests across Pakistan-administered Kashmir since at least 2023, driven by grievances over electricity bills and the cost of essential goods. Demonstrations turned deadly in September, when nine people were confirmed killed during days of violent clashes between police and protesters.",
  "title": "JAAC vows Kashmir protest march despite anti-terror ban"
}