Crackdown on activists in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir

Authorities in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir have expanded the use of the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act to monitor political and civic activists.

In late July 2026, the regional government placed journalist and researcher Danish Irshad, along with 23 others, on the anti-terrorism watchlist. The authorities identified these individuals as activists associated with the Jammu & Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), an organization that was proscribed in June. Irshad, who has reported on governance and security force conduct in the region, noted that the designation imposes travel and financial restrictions without a formal trial or conviction.

By September 2026, the crackdown intensified as the Home Department of PoJK issued a notification placing 43 individuals associated with the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JK-JAAC) under the Fourth Schedule. The affected individuals reside across several districts in PoJK, including Muzaffarabad and Poonch, as well as districts within Pakistan’s Punjab province. This administrative measure subjects the listed individuals to increased state surveillance, mandatory police reporting, and financial scrutiny.