The death toll from violent clashes between police and supporters of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Pakistan‑administered Kashmir has risen to 20, according to an AFP tally compiled from official figures on Friday.
The JAAC an anti‑government movement demanding economic and governance reforms has continued its demonstrations despite being outlawed under anti‑terrorism laws last week. Officials initially reported seven deaths earlier in the week, but updated counts from multiple districts show a far more severe toll.
In Kotli, local higher education minister Malik Zafar confirmed that seven people had been killed in clashes. In Rawalakot, top civilian official Sardar Waheed reported 12 deaths, including four police officers. Meanwhile, senior police official Khurram Iqbal said a protester died during confrontations in Mirpur on Wednesday.
The unrest has paralysed daily life in parts of the region. Many shops in Muzaffarabad have remained closed in solidarity with JAAC’s strike calls, while mobile internet access has been largely unavailable, according to journalists on the ground.
JAAC members have condemned their designation as a terror group, calling it “oppression” and insisting their protests are aimed at securing legitimate economic and political rights. The movement last led major demonstrations in September, when nine people were confirmed killed in similar clashes.
The Himalayan region remains one of the most sensitive flashpoints in South Asia. Kashmir, a Muslim‑majority territory claimed in full by both India and Pakistan, has been divided between the two since independence from British rule. Years of skirmishes, political tension and military deployments have kept the area volatile, with the Pakistani government and military treating it as a high‑security zone.
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