Urgent SOS Appeal for immediate de-escalation and protection of civilian life

The brave, resilient and dignified people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir have today begun the Long March for peace, dignity, justice and a participatory, equitable system of governance in AJK. This is a peaceful civil rights mobilisation.

6/9/20263 min read

URGENT SOS UPDATE

JKJAAC Situation Update: Long March for Peace, Dignity and Democratic Rights

Date: 09 June 2026 | Time: 1700 hrs

Issued by: Advisory Council, Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee — JKJAAC

Status: Urgent SOS Appeal for immediate de-escalation and protection of civilian life

1. Situation Update

The brave, resilient and dignified people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir have today begun the Long March for peace, dignity, justice and a participatory, equitable system of governance in AJK.

This is a peaceful civil rights mobilisation. It is rooted in the people’s demand for the restoration of:

· Haq-e-Hukamrani — the right of the people to participate meaningfully in the institutions and decisions that shape their lives; and

· Haq-e-Malkiat — the people’s rightful claim over their land, natural resources, public wealth and economic future.

The people are not marching for confrontation. They are marching for dignity, democratic accountability, implementation of signed agreements, fair representation, and a political system in which decisions about AJK are made with the active participation and consent of its people.

Our prayers, thoughts and deepest respect are with all those men, women, children, young and old, who have sacrificed their lives in this long struggle for dignity, justice and basic civil rights.

2. JKJAAC Remains Committed to Peace and Dialogue

The Advisory Council of JKJAAC reaffirms that the movement remains committed to peace, lawful civic mobilisation and dialogue.

The Long March can still be paused.

However, it can only be paused when the Government of Pakistan and the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir take immediate, visible and credible steps to:

1. Stop firing on peaceful protesters.

2. Stop killings, arrests, raids and intimidation across Pakistan-administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

3. Restore internet, mobile and WhatsApp communications.

4. Provide medical access to all injured civilians.

5. Release peaceful detainees or produce them before courts.

6. Withdraw the proscription of JKJAAC.

7. Open direct negotiations with the JKJAAC leadership and all real decision-makers.

8. Commit in writing to the implementation of the signed agreements, especially the Muzaffarabad Agreement of 3–4 October 2025.

3. Urgent Report from the Ground

The Advisory Council has already written to the President of Pakistan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief of Defence Forces of Pakistan, and leaders of all political parties.

Despite these urgent appeals, reports from the ground indicate that security forces are firing indiscriminately at peaceful Long March participants.

Since the Long March began from Bhimber at approximately 9:00 am on 9 June 2026, local reports indicate that at least six people have been killed, including a doctor, Ahsan Saleem, in Kotli, a young girl, Arsa Wakalat, and hundreds have been injured by security forces' indiscriminate firing.

Due to the continuing communications blackout and restrictions on independent reporting, all casualty figures require urgent independent verification. However, the reports of live fire, injuries and deaths are grave and demand immediate intervention.

4. Our Message to the State Authoritie

JKJAAC and the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir are not enemies.

· They are not terrorists.

· They are not foreign agents.

· They are not acting against the people of Pakistan.

They are citizens, workers, traders, students, lawyers, mothers, fathers, young people and elders demanding dignity, justice, accountable governance and implementation of written agreements.

The use of the language of “security”, “anti-terrorism” and “law and order” against a peaceful civil-rights movement is dangerous, unjust and unacceptable.

This is not an insurgency. This is not a foreign conspiracy. This is a crisis of broken promises, non-implementation of agreements, democratic exclusion and loss of public trust.

5. Immediate SOS Demands

The JKJAAC Advisory Council urgently demands:

1. Immediate cessation of firing and use of force against Long March participants.

2. Immediate medical access for all injured persons.

3. Immediate restoration of communications across AJK.

4. Immediate release of peaceful detainees, or production before courts.

5. Protection of civilians, journalists, lawyers, medical workers and human rights observers.

6. An independent inquiry into all deaths and injuries, including the Rawalakot killings and today’s reported casualties.

7. Direct negotiations between JKJAAC leadership and empowered representatives of the Government of Pakistan and AJK Government.

8. Written commitment to implement all signed agreements, including the Muzaffarabad Agreement.

6. Appeal to Pakistan, AJK, the International Community and Diaspora

We appeal to the Government of Pakistan, the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief of Defence Forces, all political parties, human rights organisations, international media, the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Kashmiri diaspora worldwide:

· Act now.

· Stop the bloodshed.

· Save lives.

· Restore communications.

· Allow medical treatment.

· Let the people march peacefully.

· Let dialogue begin before more innocent lives are lost.

The time to act is not tomorrow.

The time to act is now.

Issued by:

Advisory Council

Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee — JKJAAC