Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) – Authorities in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir have registered two cases against young men accused of chanting slogans in favor of an independent Kashmir during a volleyball match and local festival at Rawalakot Stadium.
According to police records, 23 named individuals and more than 200 unidentified persons have been booked under a range of serious charges, including sedition, treason, terrorism, and interference in state affairs.
So far, more than 35 people have been arrested, with six of them remanded into police custody for 90 days under anti-terrorism provisions. Among those detained, rights groups say, is at least one minor. While two youths were released on Friday evening, police raids continue in search of other suspects.
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Charges of sedition and anti-state slogans
The FIRs allege that the young men raised anti-Pakistan and anti-accession slogans, tore Pakistani flags, disrupted Independence Day celebrations, damaged police vehicles, and carried Kashmiri flags. Specific sections applied in the cases include 123-A, 123-B, 124-A, 121-A, and 6 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, often associated with treason, rebellion, and terrorism-related offenses.
Critics argue that such cases highlight the criminalization of political dissent in the region, where advocating self-determination or opposing Pakistan’s constitutional narrative on Kashmir is frequently met with state repression.
Freedom leaders demand unconditional release
In response, pro-independence organizations held an emergency meeting in Rawalakot, attended by leaders such as Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Sardar Muhammad Saghir Khan and former president of the National Awami Party (NAP) Sardar Liaqat Hayat.
The leaders condemned the FIRs, demanded the immediate release of all detained youths, and called for an end to police raids. They also announced a protest rally on Saturday afternoon at College Ground, warning that if their demands were not met by 1 p.m., the responsibility for any escalation would lie with the authorities.
A broader context of dissent
This is not the first time dissent has been met with sedition and terrorism charges in AJK. Analysts note that despite the region’s unique founding documents, which envisioned self-determination and political autonomy, successive governments in Islamabad have pursued policies that leave little space for dissenting voices.
The events in Rawalakot come amid heightened political sensitivities in the region, where Independence Day celebrations are often contested by sections of the population demanding either complete independence or recognition of Kashmir’s right to self-determination.
As the protest call gathers momentum, the situation in Rawalakot remains tense, with many fearing further arrests or clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement.
