On Friday, for the fifth consecutive day, hundreds of protesters remained gathered in the city of Rawalakot, located in Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

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Supported by the Awami Joint Action Committee (JAAC), they continue their demands for political reforms in the region, defying the pressure and blockade imposed by local authorities.

Pakistani security forces surrounded the epicenter of the demonstration, located about five kilometers from the city center, in an attempt to disperse supporters of the civic organization. In response, JAAC members blocked several roads to restrict the movement of the authorities.

Security forces have used gunfire to create an atmosphere of fear, while searching nearby homes for JAAC members. The crackdown has left at least 15 people dead, including four members of the security personnel, according to local police. However, the JAAC maintains that the death toll could reach 50 since the protests began on June 8.

The solidarity of local residents has been crucial. Neighbors have opened their homes to offer shelter and food to the demonstrators.

“We’ve set aside a room for our women, and the rest are available for the participants. We may go hungry, but we’ll feed them because they’re fighting for our rights,” explained one resident, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

A JAAC member in charge of defending the protest summarized the civil resistance: “We have these sticks, and they have weapons, but we won’t let them come in and disperse us.”

The underlying issue in the protests in Kashmir is the so-called “12 seats of contention.” The JAAC, which initially emerged as a platform against the rising cost of living, is demanding the abolition of the 12 seats in the Legislative Assembly reserved for refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir who settled in the region after 1947.

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