PoJK shutdown call exposes Pakistan's grip and repressive tactics

Muzaffarabad [PoJK], September 28 (ANI): Tensions are rising in Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK) after the Neelum Valley Public Action Committee leader, Shaukat Nawaz Mir, announced a complete shutdown of the entire region to press for public demands.
The call has triggered widespread debate, as the PoJK government has vowed to crush the movement with force if it proceeds.
Shaukat Nawaz Mir, speaking on behalf of the Public Action Committee, warned that the people's patience has reached its limit and that the shutdown is a direct response to years of government neglect and corruption. He argued that citizens are deprived of fundamental rights, including proper healthcare, education, infrastructure, and clean water, while resources are wasted on political patronage and bribery.
The government's declaration that it will use force against protesters has further fuelled public anger. Local lawyers have thrown their weight behind the Public Action Committee, calling the shutdown a democratic right and urging the government to address the people's grievances rather than respond with suppression.
"Public demands must be met, not crushed," a senior lawyer in Muzaffarabad stated, adding that the legal community would stand in solidarity with the protestors.
The strike, across PoJK, is expected to paralyse normal life, with shops, markets, and transport likely to remain closed. Civil societies argue that the use of force could escalate tensions and lead to unrest. Many see the government's hardline stance as an attempt to silence dissent rather than resolve pressing issues.
Public Action Committees across different districts have been mobilising residents, with growing calls for accountability, transparency in fund allocation, and the abolition of corrupt practices tied to reserved seats and local governance schemes.
All eyes remain on PoJK, where the confrontation between the government and the people appears to be intensifying. Observers believe that the shutdown will test the political leadership's ability to handle dissent peacefully or risk a deeper crisis in the region. (ANI)