PoK On Boil As Military Imposes ‘Siege’: Protesters Question Arrests, Firing & Blackout | Exclusive
PoK On Boil As Military Imposes ‘Siege’: Protesters Question Arrests, Firing & Blackout | Exclusive Reported By, Last Updated: June 09, 2026, 16:59 IST Over
PoK On Boil As Military Imposes ‘Siege’: Protesters Question Arrests, Firing & Blackout | Exclusive Reported By, Last Updated: June 09, 2026, 16:59 IST Over 450 people have reportedly been arrested, with multiple activists said to be missing during an unrelenting 6-day military crackdown Rapid Read Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir (AP File Photo) Massive long marches and a region-wide shutter-down strike paralysed Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Monday, as the Awami Action Committee (AAC) led nationwide protests against what it calls an “imposed siege" by the Pakistani military. Protesters reported severe shortages of essentials and a 6-day-long communication blackout across Rawalakot and other parts of PoK, with many locals likening the situation to “Karbala" as they accused Army Chief General Asim Munir of escalating atrocities in the region.
Human rights concerns deepened amid claims that security forces have registered fake FIRs and bogus cases against protesters. Over 450 people have reportedly been arrested, with multiple activists said to be missing during an unrelenting 6-day military crackdown. In Pallandari, Pakistan security forces allegedly opened fire on unarmed civilians, while tear gas was reportedly used to disperse demonstrators at Maqbool Butt Shaheed Chowk. Activists also accused security personnel of raiding homes and violating civilian dignity across the valley. The crackdown has triggered a global outcry, with the Kashmiri diaspora staging protests in multiple countries against what they describe as ongoing atrocities under Pakistan’s “hybrid regime". Some Kashmiri activists have drawn parallels between the current military actions in PoK and the events of 1971 in Bangladesh.
On the ground, protesters are demanding answers from General Asim Munir and the military establishment over the reported civilian shootings and heavy-handed tactics in PoK. “The Assembly will be at our feet," declared JAAC core member Sardar Aman, calling for a disciplined yet massive convergence of demonstrators to sustain pressure on the authorities. International watchdogs and the U.S. Embassy are closely monitoring the fast-deepening human rights crisis in PoK, as concerns mount over the scale of the clampdown and the fate of those detained or missing. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 First Published: June 09, 2026, 16:54 IST News world PoK On Boil As Military Imposes ‘Siege’: Protesters Question Arrests, Firing & Blackout | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s.
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