PoJK protesters threaten to intensify protest over release of detainees

Muzaffarabad [PoJK], June 18 : The members of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) organised several protests across Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), demanding the unconditional release of individuals who were arrested while protesting in Muzaffarabad.
These protests were primarily concentrated in the districts of Kotli and Muzaffarabad.
The demonstrators demanded the unconditional release of individuals including Ahmed Farhad and all other prisoners who were arrested during the protests in Muzaffarabad in May this year.
The general public also showed strong support for the initiative, with thousands taking to the streets, chanting slogans and holding placards to express their dissent.
Several participants warned that these protests would continue until the prisoners were released. They stated that if their demands continued to be ignored, the protests would further intensify.
However, they noted that they had temporarily suspended demonstrations due to the recent Eid festival.
During the protest in Kotli, a local leader said, "We have repeatedly warned authorities without receiving a positive response to our demands. We are now warning security agencies to release the prisoners unconditionally. Otherwise, we will be compelled to escalate our protests. The people will not tolerate these injustices any longer."
Another local leader clarified that the decision to temporarily suspend protests was made after consulting all stakeholders. He emphasised that this suspension did not signify an end to the protests but rather an intention to make them stronger in the future.
"We will not end these protests until all our fellow citizens are released," he added.
"Efforts were made to disrupt our protest at Azad Chowk Kotli, but such attempts to suppress us will fail. Our people are tired of the mistreatment by the administration. These prisoners are our brothers and must be freed."
Shaukat Nawaz Mir, a senior JKJAAC leader emphasised that they will no longer tolerate these injustices, adding that this situation would not have escalated if they had given us our rights on time.
During the protest, Mir said, "The people of PoJK have come together during the protests over the past year. These demonstrations have united us and made us stronger. We will no longer tolerate these injustices. We recently organized a successful long march, after which they allocated PKR 23 billion. They now imply this was a favour, but it was our rightful due, not a favour."
"This issue is no longer about individuals or specific groups like JKJAAC; it concerns the entire population of PoJK," he added.
JKJAAC's protests across PoJK underscore a unified demand for the unconditional release of detainees, emphasizing perseverance until justice prevails.