Internet Restored in Muzaffarabad, Protests Persist in Poonch

MUZAFFARABAD: Public protests continued across Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir over the weekend, with fresh demonstrations in Poonch Division, reports of firing by security forces and continuing internet restrictions, even as political consultations between Islamabad and the regional leadership failed to produce any publicly announced breakthrough.

The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has spearheaded months of protests over economic grievances, political rights and governance, demonstrated its continuing mobilisation capacity through a large public gathering in Abbaspur on Monday.

Videos circulated by JAAC-linked social media accounts showed crowds attending the gathering, where speakers reiterated demands for civil liberties, accountability and an end to security restrictions.

Among those addressing the gathering were advocate Raja Danish and Khawaja Mehran, who expressed solidarity with protesters maintaining sit-ins across the region.

The speakers condemned the deployment of security forces and pledged to continue the movement until outstanding demands were addressed.

The gathering followed a peace march in Rawalakot on Saturday, where dozens of residents walked from Nala Bazaar to the Deputy Commissioner's office.

The Deputy Commissioner of Poonch addressed the participants, who expressed their determination to reopen commercial establishments and restore normal economic activity.

However, the march took place against a backdrop of continuing security tensions.

Local sources reported aerial firing by security personnel towards an area where protesters were maintaining a sit-in. The firing was reportedly not directed at participants in the peace march. No independently confirmed casualties were reported.

The circumstances surrounding the firing could not be independently verified, and a detailed response from security authorities was unavailable.

On Sunday, women participating in a sit-in at Dharik Eidgah renewed their support for the protest movement. Organisers called for preparations for a larger mobilisation scheduled for October 24.

The latest gatherings suggest that the movement continues to command support in Poonch Division despite months of restrictions, arrests and disruption to daily life.

Internet Restored in Muzaffarabad

In a significant development, internet services were fully restored in Muzaffarabad Division after 136 days of disruption, according to local reports.

However, mobile internet services remained suspended across most parts of Poonch Division and in Kotli district.

Residents said some areas continued to receive internet through fixed-line DSL connections, but mobile data services remained unavailable.

The prolonged shutdown has severely affected students, traders, freelancers and other residents dependent on online services.

Students have struggled to access educational resources, while online workers have lost income and businesses have faced difficulties conducting transactions.

The restrictions have also made it increasingly difficult for journalists and human rights organisations to document developments in protest-affected areas.

Authorities have not announced a clear timetable for restoring mobile internet services in the remaining districts.

The continuing blackout has become one of the principal grievances of the protest movement, alongside demands for political reforms and accountability for alleged abuses.

Islamabad Holds Talks

Meanwhile, political uncertainty persisted despite high-level consultations between Pakistan's leadership and the government in Muzaffarabad.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met regional Prime Minister Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gillani in Islamabad on Saturday.

The discussions reportedly focused on development priorities, economic growth and public welfare.

Dar reiterated Pakistan's commitment to supporting the region and expressed hope that the new administration would meet public expectations.

Local sources also reported a meeting between Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Gillani. However, no detailed official statement was available on the agenda or outcome of that meeting.

It remained unclear whether the leaders discussed the JAAC's demands, prolonged internet restrictions, security deployments or possible negotiations with protest representatives.

Adding to the uncertainty, a scheduled meeting of the regional cabinet was postponed again.

No explanation for the postponement or new meeting date was immediately available.

The delay comes at a time when the administration faces mounting pressure to address political grievances, restore normal economic activity and respond to allegations of excessive force.

Human Rights Concerns

The continuing unrest has also drawn attention to allegations of serious human rights violations during the months-long confrontation.

The UK-registered Jammu Kashmir Human Rights Observatory (JKHRO), in its fifth situation report issued on October 4, documented 90 named fatalities between June 5 and September 22.

The organisation cautioned that the deaths occurred under different circumstances, including protest-related operations and disputed armed incidents, and should not all be attributed to a single actor.

Its findings have not been independently established through judicial investigations.

The Observatory has also raised concerns over detentions, alleged disappearances, restrictions on movement and communications, and the impact of prolonged security measures on civilian life.

It has demanded independent investigations into deaths and allegations of excessive force, access to detention records and protection for journalists and witnesses.

Local accounts from Rawalakot continued to describe intermittent firing and curfew-like conditions during the weekend.

However, no additional protest-related fatalities during October 17–19 could be independently confirmed.

The continued restrictions have complicated efforts to verify developments, particularly in areas where mobile communications remain suspended.

Food Shortages and Economic Hardship

The prolonged confrontation has placed considerable pressure on local businesses and households.

In parts of Poonch Division, restrictions on commercial activity and transport have disrupted supplies and reduced opportunities for daily-wage workers.

Local volunteers have continued community food distribution programmes to assist affected families.

Reports from the region also refer to proposals for livelihood support for families of those killed during the unrest, including employment assistance and agricultural resources.

With winter approaching, residents fear that continued restrictions could aggravate shortages and increase hardship in mountainous communities.

Prime Minister Gillani, meanwhile, chaired a meeting of the Food Department and Food Authority, directing officials to improve the quality, availability and distribution of subsidised wheat flour.

He said the government remained committed to providing relief through flour subsidies and called for the early finalisation of recommendations on food policy.

Government Focuses

On Sunday, Gillani also chaired a meeting with religious scholars and education officials in Islamabad to discuss moral education and the teaching of the Quran in schools.

Representatives of religious educational organisations welcomed the government's initiatives and pledged cooperation.

Gillani said education should develop discipline, tolerance and social responsibility alongside academic achievement.

In a separate development, police in Dhirkot, Bagh district, arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old schoolgirl.

Local journalist Raja Khalid reported that police had registered a criminal case and obtained custody of the suspects for investigation.

The prime minister sought a report from police authorities and directed action in accordance with the law.

The allegations remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.

Diaspora Protests Continue

The unrest has also generated sustained protests among Kashmiri communities overseas.

British Kashmiris have maintained a prolonged demonstration outside Pakistan's consulate in Birmingham, demanding an end to security operations and restrictions on civil liberties in the region.

Meanwhile, sections of the Pakistani media have accused the JAAC movement and human rights monitors of links with Indian interests.

These allegations remain contested, and independently verified evidence substantiating them was not available.

Protest organisers maintain that their movement is rooted in local grievances concerning economic hardship, political representation, civil liberties and the relationship between Islamabad and Muzaffarabad.

The JAAC's demands have included cheaper electricity and wheat flour, changes to political representation and greater accountability in governance.

October 24 Mobilisation

Attention is now turning to the JAAC's planned mobilisation on October 24, which could become another test of relations between the protesters and the authorities and tensions in the region.

Despite high-level political meetings, no publicly announced negotiating framework has emerged to address the continuing confrontation.

The restoration of internet services in Muzaffarabad has offered some relief, but restrictions in Poonch and Kotli, unresolved allegations of human rights abuses and continuing protests have prevented a wider return to normalcy.

The gatherings in Rawalakot and Abbaspur indicate that the movement remains active, particularly in areas that have experienced some of the most prolonged restrictions.

With the administration yet to announce a clear political settlement, the region faces the prospect of further confrontation unless meaningful dialogue begins before the next round of demonstrations.