In a powerful video message, Shokat Nawaz Mir, a core member of the Pakistan-occupied-Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, voiced his condemnation of the brutal violence inflicted upon students in Rawalakot during a peaceful protest. The students were demonstrating against the Mirpur Board’s unjust marking in the first year part 1 exam results. In an alarming display of occupied-governmental repression, the administration responded with violence, underscoring the ongoing crisis in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir where student rights are routinely trampled.
Students from Rawalakot have issued a three-day ultimatum for their demands to be met, warning that if their voices remain unheard, they will escalate their protests to involve students from across the state.
The protests are not isolated to Rawalakot; student organizations have also taken to the streets in Abbaspur, where demonstrators gathered at Milad Chowk to condemn the occupied-administration’s violent crackdown on unarmed students. The incident highlights the dire state of governance in the region, where the Punjabi Pak Army’s brutal tactics further suppress dissent and silence those advocating for fundamental rights.
Students from Jamia Kashmir University have also condemned the occupied-administration’s actions, calling for an immediate cessation of such low tactics against peaceful students. “We will not tolerate the brutal treatment of our fellow students,” a representative said, vowing to initiate a state-wide protest if the violence continues.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by students in POJK, where the Paki establishment resorts to violence to quell dissent. The failure of the Mirpur Board and the oppressive tactics employed by the Pakistan Army illustrate a broader pattern of neglect and brutality.