Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Thursday witnessed 24th day of anti-government protests, which drew over 80,000 passionate protesters to the Eidgah grounds in Rawalakot.
What began as demands for basic rights has transformed into a powerful challenge against Islamabad’s long-standing control, with local leaders delivering scathing accusations that strike at the heart of Pakistan’s narrative on regional terrorism.
On Thursday, Sardar Aman Khan, the prominent chief of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), delivered one of the most explosive speeches of the movement.
In a bold revelation that sent ripples through the crowd, Khan asserted that it was the Pakistan Army itself which supplied weapons and ammunition to Kashmiris across the Line of Control.
“It was the Pakistan Army that handed guns to Kashmiris. And today, they dare to call us terrorists,” he declared, his words met with thunderous applause.
Khan further highlighted a Jaish-e-Mohammed rally held in Rawalakot in February last year, where armed participants openly paraded through the streets brandishing AK-47s and swords.
He pointedly reminded authorities that the Deputy Commissioner of Rawalakot had not only permitted the event but also provided security for it.
“Deputy Commissioner Rawalakot, you used to organise rallies here with guns and swords. Do you remember? And now you call us terrorists,” he said. “All these people are heirs of this land.”
The protest movement, which has united locals across PoK, revolves around 38 key demands.
Khan issued a stern warning that if these are not immediately accepted and implemented, the agitation will evolve beyond reform into a full-fledged call for Pakistan to completely withdraw from the region.
Earlier, demonstrators in Rawalakot had openly rejected Islamabad’s dominance, with several speakers suggesting the time had come for deeper engagement with India.
In a particularly pointed remark, Khan emphasised that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir does not belong to Pakistan and that Islamabad relies on the region far more than its residents do.
The protests are no longer confined to local grounds. Expatriate supporters have taken to the streets outside Pakistani diplomatic missions in multiple countries, amplifying the movement’s international echo.
As tensions mount, the Rawalakot gatherings reflect a profound shift in sentiment among PoK residents, who increasingly view themselves not as beneficiaries of Pakistani rule but as victims of it.
Whether this groundswell will force meaningful concessions from Islamabad or spiral into a broader crisis remains to be seen, but the voices rising from Rawlakot Eidgah are growing impossible to ignore.
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