Amid escalating unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), where the violence has claimed dozens of lives, Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) leader Sardar Aman Khan has appealed to India for humanitarian assistance, alleging that Islamabad has imposed an economic blockade following a sweeping crackdown on protesters. He also urged New Delhi to facilitate the opening of the Line of Control (LoC), saying civilians should have the option of crossing into India if the situation continues to worsen.
"We need India's help. There is a shortage of rations... and we need your help," Khan said in a video that has been widely circulated on social media. He alleged that residents across PoK were struggling with shortages of food and medicines as security forces intensified operations against demonstrators, creating what he described as a severe humanitarian crisis.
Speaking to a large gathering at Rawalakot's Eidgah Ground, Khan asked those present whether they should march towards the Line of Control. The crowd repeatedly answered, "Move towards it."
He warned that if the authorities chose to answer public demands with bullets, "we also have other paths."
Khan also called for the LoC to be opened in the Poonch and Doda sectors, claiming that Islamabad's actions were deepening the suffering of people across the region. NDTV could not independently verify the authenticity of the video, which is reportedly from Khan's June 30 rally.
The appeal comes against the backdrop of sustained protests that have swept across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir since last month. During a large rally at Eidgah Ground last week, demonstrators raised slogans including "PoK is not part of Pakistan" and "We want freedom", signalling a shift in the movement from demands for reforms to an increasingly vocal call for independence from Pakistan's longstanding political control over the territory.
According to experts, the unfolding crisis has exposed the widening gap between the local population and what they describe as a "toothless" regional administration that remains entirely dependent on Islamabad.
They argue that Pakistan's decision to outlaw the JAAC and employ lethal force against protesters is part of a broader military-led strategy aimed at suppressing the growing wave of unrest in the region.
The situation intensified after Pakistani authorities designated the JAAC as a "terrorist" organisation on June 5. Pakistan has historically maintained political control over PoK through its mainstream political parties, which have dominated the region's governance for decades while gradually reducing the political space available to local organisations, according to a recent report by the International Centre for Peace Studies.
The report further stated that the ruling party in Islamabad has consistently won elections in both Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), a pattern it argued could hardly be viewed as a coincidence.
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