Thousands Rejoin AJK Sit-ins After Overnight Dispersal

Activists and supporters of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) regrouped at two sites on the outskirts of Rawalakot on Friday afternoon, drawing thousands of participants. This occurred despite earlier official claims that the protest campaign had collapsed following an overnight dispersal.

Senior officials had stated early on Friday that all three protest camps on the fringes of Rawalakot were vacated after 12:30 AM, amidst expectations of a major operation by law enforcement agencies. Poonch Divisional Commissioner Sardar Waheed Khan claimed in the early hours of Friday that all protesters had dispersed, "unconditionally surrendering" and returning to their areas. He attributed this to back-channel contacts with local JAAC leader Umar Nazir Kashmiri through intermediaries Javed Nisar and Javed Sharif, who reportedly urged an end to the protest for participants' safety. Mr. Khan claimed Mr. Kashmiri sought the withdrawal of JAAC's proscription and offered to end sit-ins if this demand was met. Residents confirmed Eidgah Ground appeared deserted in the early hours of Friday.

However, people from nearby areas began returning to Eidgah Ground by noon. After Friday prayers, the gathering was estimated at between 5,000 and 6,000 people, including dozens of women and children, with numbers reportedly multiplying by evening. Concurrently, approximately 3,000 individuals from Thorar, Mang, and surrounding areas regrouped at a bus terminal, led by Sardar Arbab Advocate, a JAAC core member. Organizers at this site formed committees and vowed to continue the sit-in "for a long time."

Official sources indicated that at the Eidgah gathering, JAAC core member Sardar Amaan of Sudhnoti advised activists against direct confrontation with law enforcement. The protesters were reportedly divided on their next course of action, considering options such as marching towards Rawalakot city, heading for Muzaffarabad, or maintaining the current sit-in. In the evening, Mr. Kashmiri addressed the Eidgah gathering, affirming the sit-in's continuation and stating that the call for a long march on Muzaffarabad had not been withdrawn.

Amidst the ongoing standoff, a shutdown strike initiated by JAAC entered its fifth consecutive day across much of AJK, including its capital, Muzaffarabad, where markets remained largely closed. Some businesses opened briefly in the evening for urgent consumer needs. Public transport remained suspended in most areas, though private vehicles operated cautiously. Inter-district and intra-district road links also remained open.

Official sources also reported intensified government measures against JAAC's leadership, including blocking the computerised national identity cards of all 31 core members and subsequently their passports. There were also unconfirmed reports that some individuals in Mirpur had been detained for allegedly facilitating financial support for JAAC from the UK, and local traders said to have donated generously to the organization were reportedly taken into custody.

(Source: Dawn Pakistan)