The July 27 Rawalakot violence triggered nationwide rallies, with demonstrators targeting the government and military establishment.
Mass protests have erupted across several major Pakistani cities against the alleged crackdown on demonstrators in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s Rawalakot on July 27, with protesters accusing the Shehbaz Sharif government and the military establishment of using force to suppress demands for civil and political rights.
Demonstrations were reported in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi, where protesters raised slogans against the authorities and expressed solidarity with the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
The protests come amid mounting anger over the alleged use of force in Rawalakot, continuing internet restrictions, arrests of activists and calls to boycott regional elections.
Massive Solidarity Rally In Islamabad
Islamabad’s F-10 Markaz witnessed a large public gathering in solidarity with the people of PoK and the Awami Action Committee.
Former Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan led a rally in the F-10 sector, condemning the alleged police action in Rawalakot and demanding accountability for the reported deaths and injuries.
Members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), civil rights activists and groups representing the Kashmiri diaspora also participated in demonstrations in the federal capital.
Protesters accused the authorities of attempting to silence peaceful dissent and demanded an independent investigation into the alleged violence of July 27.
Lahore Press Club Placed Under Heavy Security
In Lahore, a large police contingent was deployed around the Lahore Press Club ahead of planned demonstrations.
Roads leading to the venue were reportedly blocked as riot police attempted to prevent students, activists and civil society members from assembling. Protesters described the security arrangements as an attempt to impose an undeclared ban on public gatherings.
Despite the restrictions, demonstrators carrying flags of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir gathered at different locations in the city before facing police action.
Eyewitnesses alleged that several protesters, including women, were detained merely for carrying or displaying the flag.
Anger Directed At Maryam Nawaz Government
Much of the anger in Lahore was directed at the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Protesters accused her administration of hypocrisy, referring to her past statements about her family’s Kashmiri roots while questioning the police response to demonstrations organised in support of Kashmiris.
They also accused the provincial administration of using sweeping arrests and preventive detentions to discourage participation in the rallies.
The alleged police action further intensified resentment, resulting in confrontations between protesters and security personnel in parts of the city.
Protesters Allege Wider Ban On Dissent
Activists claimed the crackdown was part of a wider attempt to restrict rallies concerning sensitive political and human rights issues.
They alleged that demonstrations supporting Palestine, Kashmir and Balochistan were increasingly being blocked by the authorities, effectively denying citizens their fundamental democratic rights.
Protesters accused the government of adopting an authoritarian approach by restricting peaceful assemblies, disrupting communications and deploying large police contingents around protest venues.