Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir on Brink of Political Crisis as JAAC Demands Change

Tensions continue to escalate in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Pakistan government. The JAAC has warned the Pakistani government that if its 38 demands are not addressed, they will face massive protests. The current issue is the regional elections scheduled for July 27. With nominations required to begin on June 9, the JAAC has announced a massive protest march to Muzaffarabad, indicating that this could be one of the biggest political battles the region has seen in recent years. At the heart of the ongoing constitutional protests in PoK is the demand to abolish the 12 assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan. The JAAC argues that these seats allow Islamabad to retain too much influence over PoK politics. Adding to the controversy, the court in PoK on June 7 ruled that the 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan cannot be scrapped through executive order.