Sardar Aman Khan’s appeal for New Delhi to send humanitarian assistance and open the Line of Control has pushed unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir into a more sensitive phase, as the Joint Awami Action Committee accused Islamabad of choking supplies after a widening crackdown on protesters.
Khan, a prominent JAAC leader, said civilians facing shortages of food, medicine and fuel should be allowed to cross towards India if the situation deteriorates further. His remarks followed weeks of confrontation between protesters and security forces across Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Mirpur, Poonch and adjoining districts, where shutdowns, arrests, roadblocks and internet curbs have deepened public anger.
The appeal marks a sharp escalation in a movement that began with demands over electricity tariffs, subsidised wheat, public spending and local political representation, but has increasingly taken on a constitutional and geopolitical character. JAAC leaders argue that residents are being denied basic rights while Islamabad retains decisive control over the region’s political and administrative structure.
The latest phase of unrest intensified after authorities banned JAAC under anti-terror laws and launched arrests against its activists and office-bearers. Shaukat Nawaz Mir, one of the group’s best-known figures, was arrested after deadly clashes. Other leaders have faced sedition cases, arrest warrants and cash rewards for information leading to their capture.
Casualty figures have varied because access to affected areas has been restricted and communications have been repeatedly disrupted. At least two dozen people have been reported dead across the current wave of protests, including civilians and security personnel, with scores more injured. Hundreds have been detained. Officials have blamed JAAC for violence, arson and attacks on police, while the group has accused the administration of using excessive force to silence legitimate demands.
The immediate trigger for the confrontation was JAAC’s opposition to 12 seats in the regional Legislative Assembly reserved for refugees from Kashmir who live in Pakistan. The group says the arrangement dilutes the political rights of residents in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and gives non-resident voters disproportionate influence in the assembly. The regional Supreme Court has upheld constitutional protection for the reserved seats, making their abolition difficult without legislative change.
The dispute has gained urgency because assembly elections are due on July 27. Political parties have struggled to campaign freely in parts of the region amid strikes and security deployments. Regional Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore has alternated between a hard line against “rioters” and offers to restart talks, while maintaining that constitutionally protected matters cannot be settled through street pressure.
JAAC’s 38-point charter had earlier drawn broad public backing because it focused on high living costs, electricity bills, wheat prices, official privileges and governance. Many residents complain that the region produces hydropower but pays tariffs they consider unfair, while public services remain weak. A federal relief package and tariff concessions had calmed an earlier round of protests, but unresolved political demands brought the movement back to the streets.
Khan’s statement seeking closer ties with India and humanitarian intervention has added a new dimension to Islamabad’s challenge. Pakistan has traditionally framed Kashmir as a foreign policy priority, while presenting itself as the principal advocate for Kashmiri rights. The unrest inside territory under its control has complicated that position, especially as protesters accuse the authorities of imposing an undeclared blockade through road closures, arrests and limits on communication.
New Delhi has not announced any humanitarian step in response to Khan’s appeal. Any move to open crossing points along the Line of Control would carry major security and diplomatic implications. The LoC remains one of the world’s most militarised frontiers, and civilian movement across it has been tightly controlled for years. Cross-LoC trade and travel, once promoted as confidence-building measures, have remained suspended amid security concerns and strained relations.
The humanitarian situation is becoming central to the crisis. Traders, daily wage workers, transporters and patients have been hit by shutdowns and blocked roads. Fuel shortages, disrupted banking access and patchy communications have affected daily life in Muzaffarabad and surrounding towns. Hospitals have faced pressure from injuries linked to clashes, while families of detained protesters say they have struggled to obtain timely information.
