Pakistan Stops Opposition Convoy Headed To PoK, Blocks Talks With Protest Leaders Amid Unrest

Published 29 June 2026 · politics

Pakistan Stops Opposition Convoy Headed To PoK, Blocks Talks With Protest Leaders Amid Unrest Reported By, Last Updated: June 29, 2026, 14:50 IST Rawalakot has

Pakistan Stops Opposition Convoy Headed To PoK, Blocks Talks With Protest Leaders Amid Unrest Reported By, Last Updated: June 29, 2026, 14:50 IST Rawalakot has emerged as one of the key centres of political mobilisation in PoK, with the Awami Action Committee spearheading protests over governance and public grievances Rapid Read People chant slogans as they walk during a protest and shutter-down strike called by the Joint Awami Action Committee in Neelum Valley, PoK. (File pic/Reuters) Pakistan’s political fault lines over the ongoing unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) deepened after security forces stopped a high-profile opposition delegation from entering the region for talks with protest leaders. The delegation, led by opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai under the banner of the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Aayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP), was headed to Rawalakot to meet representatives of the Awami Action Committee (AAC), which has been at the forefront of recent protests in PoK. However, the convoy was intercepted near Kahuta, where Pakistani authorities deployed Rangers and police personnel to prevent it from proceeding towards Rawalakot.

The opposition delegation included former Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, TTAP spokesperson Hussain Ahmed Yousafzai and Imran Khan’s lawyer Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry. According to officials, the administration denied the delegation permission to enter PoK, triggering a standoff at Kahuta. Opposition Slams Blockade The move prompted sharp criticism from opposition leaders, who accused the Pakistan government of obstructing democratic engagement and preventing dialogue with the Awami Action Committee. The delegation had planned to hold discussions with AAC leaders over the ongoing crisis in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and hear their demands first-hand. Instead, roads leading to Rawalakot were sealed off as Rangers and local police established checkpoints to block the convoy. The incident has further fuelled criticism of Islamabad’s handling of the situation in PoK, where protests and political discontent have intensified in recent weeks. Why Rawalakot? Rawalakot has emerged as one of the key centres of political mobilisation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, with the Awami Action Committee spearheading protests over governance and public grievances.

The Opposition’s visit was being projected as an attempt to engage directly with the protest leadership and assess the situation on the ground. However, the administration’s decision to stop the delegation before it could enter the region prevented the planned meeting from taking place. Intel Sources Claim Government Feared Political Fallout According to top intelligence sources, the heavy deployment of Rangers and police at Kahuta reflected Islamabad’s concern that a meeting between senior national opposition leaders and the Awami Action Committee could significantly escalate the political situation. Sources claimed the government feared that such an interaction would lend greater national legitimacy to the PoK agitation and potentially trigger wider political mobilisation. They further alleged that the administration resorted to extraordinary security measures, including the deployment of a large contingent of paramilitary Rangers, to physically block the highway leading to Rawalakot. The standoff comes amid growing political tensions in Pakistan as opposition parties increasingly seek to highlight developments in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, while the government faces criticism over its handling of the unrest.