The All Parties Coordination Committee (APCC) in Kotli has ramped up its opposition to the controversial Presidential Ordinance in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), convening a crucial meeting at Shaheed Chowk, Kotli, to outline their bold 16-point Charter of Demands. The committee has set a firm deadline of December 9 for the Pakistan-occupied authority to address their concerns, or face mass protests. These demands are a direct challenge to the authoritarian policies imposed by the Pakistan Army and its establishment, which have long exploited and suppressed the region’s people.
In a defiant act of resistance, the committee has called for region-wide protests on December 10, coinciding with International Human Rights Day, to condemn Pakistan’s repressive governance. These demands reflect a growing wave of public outrage against the Paki establishment’s oppressive control over PoJK, which continues to suffocate the region’s freedom and aspirations for self-determination.
The controversial Presidential Ordinance, passed by Islamabad, has sparked fury across PoJK. On November 21, the situation in Kotli escalated when Pakistan’s police used brutal tactics, including firing and shelling, to disperse demonstrators protesting against the ordinance. This heavy-handed response marked a turning point in the struggle against the “black law,” a draconian measure designed to stifle dissent and curb the Kashmiri people’s right to protest.
The law imposes severe penalties, including up to seven years in prison, hefty fines, and immediate detention for participants in unauthorized demonstrations. The APCC’s defiance and the growing protests signal that the people of PoJK are no longer willing to endure the suffocating grip of the Paki establishment.