At least 12 people, including two security personnel, have been killed during intense clashes between police and protesters in PoK’s Rawalakot. Authorities have enforced a complete communications blackout and deployed paramilitary forces to contain the escalating unrest.

MUZAFFARABAD: At least 12 people, including two security personnel, have been killed and dozens injured in violent clashes between police and demonstrators in Rawalakot, the capital of Poonch district in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The deadly confrontations erupted during a massive protest organized by the Joint Awami Action Committee, which had defied a government ban to mobilize ahead of a scheduled grand march to Muzaffarabad.

To contain the escalating civil unrest, the local administration has deployed over 4,000 paramilitary troops, including the Pakistan Rangers and Frontier Corps, and clamped a strict curfew across Rawalakot and surrounding regions. In an effort to control the narrative and prevent reports of state action from spreading, authorities have enforced a complete suspension of mobile internet and communication services, alongside a virtual blackout on local and international media coverage in the conflict zones.

The ongoing protests have gained significant momentum ahead of the PoK legislative assembly elections scheduled for July 27. Under the banner of the Joint Awami Action Committee, the demonstrators are demanding immediate relief from soaring electricity tariffs, the provision of subsidized wheat flour, and the reversal of a government decision to abolish 12 special seats reserved for refugees in the assembly. They are also demanding the unconditional release of jailed civil rights activists and an end to heavy-handed military crackdowns in the region.

Eyewitnesses reported that the situation turned volatile when security forces resorted to heavy tear gas shelling and live ammunition to stop the advancing crowds, who had bypassed multiple roadblocks and travel advisories. Rather than addressing the public’s economic grievances, the Pakistani administration has taken a hardline stance, booking more than 150 local activists under stringent anti-terrorism laws. Despite the heavy security presence and mounting casualties, protest leaders maintain that the civilian agitation will continue until their demands are fully met.