‘Freedom From Occupation’: PoK Protest Leader Asks Pakistan To 'Get Lost From Our State' | Exclusive

Published 16 June 2026 · india

‘Freedom From Occupation’: PoK Protest Leader Asks Pakistan To 'Get Lost From Our State' | Exclusive Reported By, Last Updated: June 16, 2026, 12:09 IST

‘Freedom From Occupation’: PoK Protest Leader Asks Pakistan To 'Get Lost From Our State' | Exclusive Reported By, Last Updated: June 16, 2026, 12:09 IST JAAC leader Sardar Aman accused Pakistan’s military establishment of restricting supplies and creating economic pressure on the local population Rapid Read In recent months, the movement has increasingly adopted language that challenges Pakistan's administrative control over the region. The anti-government protest movement that began over soaring electricity bills and wheat prices in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has entered a far more political phase, with protest leaders now openly questioning Pakistan’s role in the region and demanding greater economic and political autonomy. At a recent gathering in Rawalakot, leaders of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and the Awami Action Committee launched some of their sharpest attacks yet on Pakistan’s military establishment, accusing Islamabad of blocking supplies, exploiting local resources and preventing economic engagement with India. The remarks signal a significant escalation from the movement’s original demands, which centred on subsidies, inflation and governance issues. From Economic Grievances To Political Defiance The current unrest traces its roots to the mass protests that swept PoK in 2024 and 2025. Demonstrators initially mobilised against high electricity tariffs, rising food prices and what they described as discriminatory economic policies imposed by Islamabad.

The protests eventually forced Pakistan’s government to announce relief measures, including wheat subsidies and reductions in electricity costs. However, protest leaders argued that the concessions did not address deeper concerns about political representation, resource control and economic rights. In recent months, the movement has increasingly adopted language that challenges Pakistan’s administrative control over the region. ‘Pakistan Is Stopping Our Food’ Speaking at the Rawalakot gathering, JAAC leader Sardar Aman accused Pakistan’s military establishment of restricting supplies and creating economic pressure on the local population. “Pakistan military is stopping our food and rations," Aman alleged, while claiming that authorities were attempting to weaken the protest movement through economic measures. He also rejected suggestions that residents opposed subsidies on wheat and essential commodities, arguing instead that the movement’s demand was for fair treatment and economic justice rather than the withdrawal of government support. Demand To Open Trade Routes With India One of the most striking aspects of Aman’s speech was his demand that alternative trade routes with India be opened if Pakistan fails to ensure economic access and supplies. Addressing supporters, he declared that “all trade routes will open soon—either from Pakistan or India." The remark reflects growing frustration among sections of the protest movement over economic isolation and limited commercial opportunities.