PoK Protests Intensify: JAAC Refuses To End Strike Without Bodies Of Slain Protesters | Exclusive
PoK Protests Intensify: JAAC Refuses To End Strike Without Bodies Of Slain Protesters | Exclusive Reported By, Last Updated: July 18, 2026, 13:28 IST The
PoK Protests Intensify: JAAC Refuses To End Strike Without Bodies Of Slain Protesters | Exclusive Reported By, Last Updated: July 18, 2026, 13:28 IST The JAAC leaders accused Pakistani authorities of merciless killings and vowed to continue the shutdown until justice is delivered. Rapid Read The PoK protest movement has witnessed large sit-ins, shutter-down strikes, and demonstrations across several towns. (Image: X/@JAAC__Official/File) Protests across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) intensified as Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) leaders vowed to continue the shutdown and sit-ins until the bodies of those killed in the crackdown are returned and detained protesters are released. Addressing demonstrators, JAAC leader Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri accused the Pakistan military and the PoK administration of mercilessly killing protesters and warned that those responsible would be held accountable. “We will not return without the bodies of our martyrs," Kashmiri said, as he urged protesters not to abandon the movement or allow the deaths of their comrades to be forgotten.
Demand For Bodies, Release Of Detainees The demand for the return of the bodies and the release of jailed protesters has emerged as a central point of the agitation, with demonstrators continuing large sit-ins across PoK. Kashmiri said the protesters would not betray what he described as the sacred blood of those killed during the unrest. “Our brothers were killed mercilessly," he said, while also condemning the alleged detention and disappearance of people involved in the movement. He maintained that the strike would continue and that the protesters would not leave their fallen comrades behind. ‘Stop Playing With Blood’ Issuing a stern warning to the Pakistan military and the PoK administration, Kashmiri said: “Stop playing with blood." He accused the authorities of attempting to suppress the movement through force and said the agitation had now become a fight for justice for those killed and detained. The Awami Action Committee leader described the continuing confrontation as a nerve-wracking battle but insisted that the protesters would not step back from their demands.
“We will hold accountable all those who spilled blood," he said. Protesters Vow To Continue Shutdown The shutdown continued to hold across PoK as protest leaders urged people to remain united and sustain the demonstrations. Kashmiri said the movement would not end without justice for those killed and the safe return of those taken into custody. The protesters have repeatedly maintained that the blood of those killed would not be betrayed and that the agitation would continue until their demands are met. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Key Questions Answered What are the main demands of the PoK protesters? The main demands of the PoK protesters, led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), include the return of bodies of slain protesters and the release of detainees. Could these protests escalate into a larger conflict?
The BriefWire