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New Delhi. Wednesday is set to be a crucial day for the Shehbaz Sharif government in Pakistan, as a massive public march is taking place today in Muzaffarabad—located in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoK)—causing tensions to peak across the region. This march is occurring just a day after Pakistani security forces brutally opened fire on unarmed protesters. It remains to be seen what steps Pakistan’s Army Chief, Asim Munir, will take to halt this march.

At least eight people were killed and dozens injured in that bloody crackdown. It is evident that Pakistan wanted to stop today’s march at any cost, yet people have taken to the streets, fully prepared. Yesterday, thousands of protesters had gathered at the Rawalakot bus stand. Initially, security forces fired tear gas shells, but when the situation appeared to be spiraling out of control, they resorted to live fire. Women and children were seen fleeing for their lives amidst clouds of tear gas, while fellow protesters were seen carrying the injured to safety as best they could. Security forces repeated similar brutal tactics in the Sudhanoti area as well.

According to local reports, this action by Pakistani forces was not a coincidence. A coordinated, systematic crackdown was launched simultaneously across several districts—including Rawalakot, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Kotli, Mirpur, Hattian Bala, and Sudhanoti—to prevent anyone from advancing toward Muzaffarabad. Furthermore, the supply of food and medicines to the area has been cut off. Internet services have been suspended, roads blocked, and a curfew imposed to ensure that the voices of the people do not reach the outside world. Pakistan has banned the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC)—the organization spearheading this movement—by branding it a terrorist entity. More than 600 activists, including the organization’s chief Shaukat Nawaz Mir, have been arrested so far. Instead of engaging in dialogue, Pakistan has responded solely with guns and crackdowns. What began as a protest against inflation, rising prices of electricity and wheat, and a lack of basic amenities has now transformed into an open rebellion against Pakistani occupation.

The movement has been ongoing in Rawalakot for the past 40 days; it is no longer confined to issues of inflation but has begun to question Pakistan’s very presence in the region. The JAAC has submitted a 38-point charter of demands, calling for affordable electricity and wheat, employment opportunities, better governance, and an end to oppressive policies.

Addressing a massive crowd at Rawalakot’s Eidgah ground, JAAC leader Sardar Aman Khan openly declared, “PoK is not a part of Pakistan.” Furthermore, directly challenging Pakistan’s official narrative, he stated that PoK is neither ‘Azad’ (free) nor merely a disputed territory, but rather an occupied territory.

He stated unequivocally that the land is not a disputed area but one that has been forcibly occupied. Thousands of people present at the gathering expressed their support for his statement with thunderous applause and slogans.

Aman Khan’s statement is considered significant because it directly challenges Pakistan’s long-standing claim that PoJK is ‘Azad Kashmir’ (Free Kashmir). However, there has been no official response from the Pakistani government regarding this statement so far.

He accused Islamabad of decades of economic exploitation, discrimination, and the blatant violation of rights. Slogans such as “Freedom from Pakistan” and “Pakistan Army, get out” reverberated through the crowd. It is evident that the people of PoK now seek complete liberation from Pakistani occupation, and Aman Khan’s statement has further intensified this demand. Today’s march is being viewed as a decisive demonstration centered on this 38-point charter. The Pakistani administration is already rattled; heavy security, roadblocks, and additional forces have been deployed in Muzaffarabad. Yet, despite Tuesday’s gunfire, arrests, and 40 days of harsh crackdowns, the people refuse to back down.

Pakistan, which projects itself to the world as a champion of the ‘Kashmir cause,’ is simultaneously raining bullets on unarmed civilians—including women and children—in the territory it occupies. Blockades on food and medicine, internet blackouts, and killings—this is the true face of Pakistan.

Aman Khan’s statement has transformed this movement from one focused merely on daily grievances into a struggle for identity and rights. The more repression intensifies in PoK, the fiercer the flames of rebellion will burn.