In June 2026, authorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) intensified restrictions on the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a broad-based movement involving traders, lawyers, civil society actors and community groups that has mobilised around economic, governance and political demands. On 5 June, the AJK government proscribed JAAC under the region’s anti-terrorism legislation amid renewed mobilisation and unresolved demands from a 2025 agreement between the government and the movement.
The ban was followed by arrests of JAAC leaders and activists, restrictions on movement and prolonged disruptions to internet and mobile services. At least 147 JAAC activists were also placed on the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Protests and strikes nevertheless continued, particularly around Rawalakot, and confrontations between protesters and law-enforcement personnel resulted in deaths and injuries on both sides.
In August, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) concluded that institutional distrust, restrictions on freedom of expression and connectivity, and an increasingly confrontational state response had deepened polarisation and eroded public trust. While acknowledging conflicting accounts regarding violence and the conduct of both protesters and security forces, HRCP raised concerns over disproportionate use of force, arrests and the application of anti-terrorism legislation to political dissent.
Although large-scale mobilisation has subsided, the impact of the restrictions imposed during the protests remains significant. For JAAC activists and the traders, lawyers and community groups involved in the movement, arrests, restrictions on movement and internet disruptions can hinder communication, coordination, peaceful assembly and collective advocacy, while increasing the risks faced by those participating in civic mobilisation. More broadly, applying anti-terrorism measures to a civic movement may deter other civil society actors from protesting or publicly criticising government policies. How the remaining disputes are addressed will be important for future civic participation and dialogue between the authorities and civil society in AJK.