JAAC Leader Shaukat Mir's Arrest Triggers Widespread Protests Across PoK, Demonstrations Reach UK
JAAC Leader Shaukat Mir's Arrest Triggers Widespread Protests Across PoK, Demonstrations Reach UK Reported By, Last Updated: July 01, 2026, 11:09 IST Demonstrations were organised
JAAC Leader Shaukat Mir's Arrest Triggers Widespread Protests Across PoK, Demonstrations Reach UK Reported By, Last Updated: July 01, 2026, 11:09 IST Demonstrations were organised in UK, where members of the Kashmiri diaspora expressed solidarity with the movement and condemned the arrest of Shaukat Nawaz Mir. Rapid Read Activist Shaukat Nawaz Mir. File image The arrest of Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir has triggered widespread protests across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), with demonstrators taking to the streets in several towns to condemn what the organisation has described as a “massive crackdown" by Pakistani authorities. Large demonstrations were reported from Mirpur, Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot, where protesters demanded Mir’s immediate release and accused the state of suppressing peaceful dissent. According to the JAAC, the arrest has intensified public anger, with citizens gathering in significant numbers despite heightened security measures.
In Rawalakot, a sit-in protest continued as participants sought accountability for what they called state brutality. Protesters maintained that their movement remains peaceful and focused on securing public rights, even as they alleged that security forces had launched a widespread operation against activists. The Joint Awami Action Committee strongly condemned the arrests, describing them as an example of “Pakistan state terrorism" and accusing the authorities of attempting to silence voices demanding basic civic and economic rights. The organisation also claimed that hundreds of people associated with the movement had been detained or abducted during the ongoing campaign, though no independent confirmation of these figures was immediately available. The protests were not confined to PoK. Demonstrations were also organised in the United Kingdom, where members of the Kashmiri diaspora expressed solidarity with the movement and condemned the arrest of Shaukat Nawaz Mir.
Protesters called for greater international attention to the developments unfolding in the region. The JAAC has announced that the movement is entering what it described as its “next phase". Its core committee appealed to overseas Kashmiris to remain on high alert and continue supporting the campaign through peaceful means. Meanwhile, Awami Action Committee leaders called for a complete shutdown of markets across Kashmir, urging traders and residents to observe a strike in protest against the arrests and the alleged crackdown. In Mirpur, residents gathered spontaneously at Chowk Shaheedan following news of Mir’s detention, with organisers claiming that the crowd assembled without any formal protest call, reflecting what they described as widespread public resentment. Despite the security operation, movement leaders reiterated their commitment to continuing peaceful protests. Participants vowed to hold the authorities accountable for their actions and insisted that the campaign for public rights would continue until their demands are addressed.
The BriefWire