Protests Erupt in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir Over Military Land Seizures

Civilian demonstrators in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir are leading a grassroots movement to protest decades of systemic neglect, soaring inflation, and high electricity tariffs. The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee has spearheaded these protests since 2023, evolving economic grievances into a broader political struggle against the state.

Residents cite severe infrastructure failures, including inadequate healthcare and a lack of clean drinking water, as primary drivers of the unrest. Anger is further fueled by the Military of Pakistan, which has seized over 50,000 acres of agricultural land and diverted 80 percent of electricity from the Mangla Dam to other parts of Pakistan. Specific flashpoints include Muzaffarabad, where residents protest the repurposing of 5,000 acres of farmland, and the Jhelum Valley, where 2,000 acres were converted into military installations.

Simultaneously, the Government of India and local residents have condemned the operation of terrorist infrastructure and training camps run by the Pakistani military through charity organizations. The Indian Army previously targeted these facilities during Operation Sindoor last year, destroying several camps in the region.