Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir is in the middle of one of its biggest protest waves in years, with the Awami Action Committee launching widespread demonstrations across the region on Monday.

The committee has called for a “shutter down and wheel jam” strike that could continue without a fixed timeline, leading to rising tensions as Islamabad rushed in security forces and cut off internet services from midnight to stop mobilisation.

The Awami Action Committee, which has emerged as a powerful civil society platform in recent months, has managed to rally thousands by raising issues of decades-long political neglect and economic hardship. The group has put forward a 38-point list of demands, among them the scrapping of 12 assembly seats in PoK reserved for Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan. Local people argue that these seats weaken their own voice in the assembly.

Other key demands include access to subsidised flour, fairer electricity tariffs connected to the Mangla hydropower project, and long-promised reforms that Islamabad has failed to deliver.

“Our movement is not against any institution but in favour of basic rights which have been denied to our people for more than 70 years,” said senior AAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir while addressing a gathering in Muzaffarabad. “Enough is enough. Either fulfill the promise of rights or get ready for the wrath of the people,” he warned.

Authorities have responded with a strong show of force. In recent days, heavily armed convoys carried out flag marches in major towns and thousands of troops were moved in from Punjab. Police sealed routes leading in and out of important cities over the weekend and increased security around sensitive locations.

Islamabad also deployed 1,000 additional police personnel from the capital to support local forces. Officials defended the measures, saying they were essential for maintaining law and order. “Peace is the responsibility of the administration and the people,” The Dawn quoted District Magistrate Mudasser Farooq as saying, cautioning against disruptions.

This heavy deployment followed the collapse of marathon talks between AAC representatives, the PoK administration and federal ministers. The discussions lasted 13 hours but broke down when the committee refused to compromise on removing elite privileges and refugee assembly seats. “The negotiations were incomplete and inconclusive,” Mir declared, pledging to continue the strike.

In Muzaffarabad, traders kept their shops open on Sunday to allow residents to stock up on essentials before the protest began. Videos circulating online showed long lines of security convoys entering the city, sparking fears of a harsh crackdown. On the streets, crowds could be seen raising slogans calling for freedom from Pakistan’s rule.

Despite the crackdown, AAC leaders have said their protest will remain peaceful but firm. With communication lines cut and security tightened, Monday’s demonstration could become a turning point in PoK’s struggle for political rights.

Both the Awami Action Committee and the authorities appear unwilling to step back, setting the stage for a confrontation that could have consequences far beyond the valleys of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.