Tensions Soar In PoK As Rawalakot Faces Curfew-Like Curbs, Protesters March Despite Restrictions

Published 10 June 2026 · india

Tensions Soar In PoK As Rawalakot Faces Curfew-Like Curbs, Protesters March Despite Restrictions Reported By, Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 14:43 IST According to local

Tensions Soar In PoK As Rawalakot Faces Curfew-Like Curbs, Protesters March Despite Restrictions Reported By, Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 14:43 IST According to local reports, announcements have been made through mosques across Rawalakot warning residents and visitors against entering the city. Rapid Read In Muzaffarabad, military helicopters have reportedly been deployed for aerial monitoring as security agencies track the movement of crowds and assess the evolving situation on the ground. (Image: AP) A fresh confrontation appears to be unfolding in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as authorities tighten security measures in Rawalakot while thousands of protesters continue mobilising towards the city, deepening a crisis that has already witnessed deadly clashes and widespread unrest. According to local reports, announcements have been made through mosques across Rawalakot warning residents and visitors against entering the city.

The warnings reportedly state that anyone violating the restrictions would be held personally responsible for the consequences, fuelling concerns that authorities are attempting to effectively seal off the area. Despite the restrictions, officials have stopped short of formally declaring a curfew. A security source familiar with the situation said no official curfew order has been issued, but acknowledged that stringent measures resembling a curfew are being enforced to prevent further violence and maintain order in the valley. The latest developments come amid heightened tensions following recent clashes between security forces and supporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a protest platform that has emerged as a major voice against economic hardship, governance issues and what activists describe as political marginalisation in the region. Even as security restrictions tighten, reports indicate that large groups of protesters from different parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir have begun travelling towards Rawalakot.

Images and accounts circulating locally suggest that demonstrators remain determined to continue their mobilisation despite the risk of arrests and restrictions. Authorities have simultaneously stepped up surveillance efforts. In Muzaffarabad, military helicopters have reportedly been deployed for aerial monitoring as security agencies track the movement of crowds and assess the evolving situation on the ground. The political standoff has also complicated efforts to open negotiations between the government and protest leaders. The Awami Action Committee has rejected unconditional talks and laid down a set of demands that it says must be met before any dialogue can begin. Speaking to local journalists, JAAC Core Committee member Khan Ilyas said the government must first withdraw its notification declaring the organisation unlawful and remove additional security deployments from the region. Only after those steps are taken, he said, would the committee consider entering formal negotiations.