Web Desk: A leader of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) Sardar Amaan appealed for support from residents of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir while reiterating allegations of shortages in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, claims that authorities have repeatedly denied.
Addressing supporters on the 26th day of ongoing protests, JAAC leader Sardar Aman said residents in areas including Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri and Doda should extend support to the movement. He alleged that disruptions to supplies over the past three weeks had created shortages of essential food items.
Authorities have rejected those allegations, saying the supply chain remains operational and that goods continue to reach markets across the region.
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has consistently denied reports of food, medicine or fuel shortages.
During a joint press conference on June 23, the chief secretary and inspector general of police said all major highways remained open to traffic and that the movement of essential commodities had continued without interruption.
Officials also alleged that some protesters attempted to stop and loot trucks carrying supplies into the region, prompting security forces to intervene and secure the vehicles and their cargo. Reuters has not independently verified those allegations.
In his speech, Aman criticized Pakistan’s government and state institutions and urged authorities to respond to the protesters’ demands. He also warned that demonstrators could pursue “other options” if their demands continued to go unanswered.
Government officials have condemned such statements, accusing protest leaders of escalating tensions at a time of heightened political unrest.
The demonstrations are part of a broader protest movement led by the JAAC over political and governance issues in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The movement has staged rallies and sit-ins across several districts in recent weeks, while authorities have increased security deployments following clashes between protesters and law enforcement in some areas.
The competing narratives from protest leaders and government officials underscore the deepening political divisions in the region, where demonstrations and counter-demonstrations have continued despite repeated appeals for calm.
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