Pakistan-administered Kashmir protests turn deadly as forces kill JAAC leader

Pakistani security forces opened fire on civilians in Rawalakot, Pakistan‑administered Jammu and Kashmir, killing Shahzaib Habib, an executive member of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). Several others were injured and the victim’s body was displayed at the Command Military Hospital, prompting widespread outrage and street protests.

The regional government banned the JAAC, declared it a proscribed organisation and arrested dozens of its supporters ahead of a planned march. Internet services were suspended and additional Pakistan Federal Police and Rangers were deployed in Muzaffarabad. The group’s demands include subsidised wheat and electricity and the abolition of 12 seats reserved for refugees in the legislative assembly. Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore said he remains willing to meet JAAC representatives on the remaining issues. India lodged a formal protest over Pakistan’s plans for elections in the disputed territory, underscoring the broader India‑Pakistan rivalry over Kashmir.