look news india
The political and social situation in Pakistan’s illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK) has become extremely explosive just before the assembly elections to be held on 27 July 2026. The ongoing civil movement against the repressive policies of the Pakistan government has now transformed into a violent public outcry. Ahead of the ‘Muzaffarabad March’ called by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) on Wednesday, bloody clashes broke out overnight between protesters and Pakistani security forces (police and Rangers) in Poonch division. At least 9 people have died in this violent confrontation, including 2 soldiers of Pakistan Rangers. After this incident, tension in the entire area has reached its peak.
Unprecedented blockade: Muzaffarabad converted into a cantonment, preparations to crush
According to Pakistani media and local reports, thousands of protesters are today marching towards the capital Muzaffarabad through Rawalakot, Mirpur, Kotli, Bagh and other neighboring districts. To stop this march, the Pakistani administration has prepared an unprecedented security cordon in Muzaffarabad. A large number of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed. At the same time, quoting POK Home Secretary Chaudhary Guftar Hussain, Pakistani newspaper ‘Dawn’ has written that the administration will not come under the pressure of any protestor and this movement of JAAC will be crushed with complete ruthlessness.
Bullets rained throughout the night in Baloch area, police confused in claims
This bloody clash started in Baloch area of Sudhanoti district. Pakistani police claim that the protesters suddenly started firing on the convoy of security forces moving from Kotli Sarsawa towards Baloch near Saran and Baloch villages, in which a ranger was killed. In contrast, JAAC supporters and villagers allege that their way was blocked peacefully, but the security forces opened indiscriminate direct fire on the protesters. This firing added fuel to the fire and violence broke out across the region.
Crisis on July 27 elections: The biggest internal challenge for Pakistan
This entire violent incident is happening at such a critical time, when voting for the 45-member assembly of PoK is to be held on 27 July 2026. Protestors have been camping in Rawalkote and the outskirts of 8 other districts for several days, due to which normal life has come to a complete standstill. International and political observers believe that this mass movement that broke out on the cusp of elections has become the biggest internal and security challenge for Pakistan’s Shahbaz government and military establishment in recent years.
Why is there anger? The real controversy of 12 reserved seats
The most important and prominent demand of this movement being led by JAAC is to immediately abolish the 12 seats reserved for so-called refugees in the Assembly. The agitators’ direct allegation is that the mainstream political parties of Pakistan (like PML-N and PPP) misuse these 12 reserved seats. Through these seats, fake votes are cast for people who do not actually live in PoK and thus puppet governments of Pakistan are formed in Muzaffarabad.
This controversy got further fueled when in June 2026, the Supreme Court of PoK declared these seats to have constitutional protection and said that they can be changed only through a major legislative amendment. After this decision of the court, people got angry.
The movement became more violent after the ban
Under pressure, the Pakistan government had declared JAAC a banned organization under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on 5 June 2026. The administration had alleged that this organization was accumulating illegal weapons and planning suicide attacks on security forces. However, JAAC rejected all these allegations outright and said that their movement is only for their basic rights and democratic fairness. Law and order here has completely collapsed since talks broke down between the government and the committee at the end of May.