RAWALAKOT, Pakistan-administered Kashmir — The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee has called for an international investigation into violence during the ongoing rights movement and announced new measures, including a tax boycott and a solidarity march.
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In a declaration issued from Rawalakot on August 13, 2026, the committee renewed its demand for an investigation involving international human rights organisations into the violence and alleged violations during the movement.
The statement refers to the committee’s earlier demand for an independent commission and calls on the United Nations to determine responsibility for deaths and other losses resulting from the use of force during protests.
The committee accused the Government of Pakistan and the government in Pakistan-administered Kashmir of responsibility for the wider situation. These are allegations made by the committee and were not independently established in the declaration.
Committee demands independent investigation
The JKJAAC said an investigation should examine what it described as the use of firearms and other weapons against protesters, as well as alleged killings, enforced disappearances and mistreatment of members of the public and the movement’s leadership.
The committee also referred to a previous call by the UN human rights system for impartial investigations, using that position to reinforce its demand for an international inquiry.
It said those responsible for the use of force and the resulting deaths and property losses should be identified through an independent process.
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Call to invalidate recent elections
A significant part of the declaration concerns the political system in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The JKJAAC rejected the recent elections, describing them as lacking public legitimacy, and called for the establishment of an interim administration.
The committee also called for the existing election commission to be dissolved and for new elections to be organised through a process it says should provide broader political participation and allow voters to exercise their right to vote freely.
The declaration says any future government should have broad public confidence.
Allegations of force, disruption and shortages
The committee accused Pakistani paramilitary forces and police of using excessive force against protesters and alleged that communications, healthcare, education and the supply of food and medicines had been severely disrupted.
It also alleged that security forces occupied hospitals and educational institutions and that members of the movement were subjected to arrests and other forms of coercion.
The declaration further alleges that shops and private homes were damaged and looted during the unrest.
The JKJAAC did not present independent documentary evidence for each allegation in the statement. The claims therefore remain allegations by the committee and require verification through independent investigations and evidence.
Limited opening of food shops
The declaration also introduces a practical measure in response to the prolonged shutdown.
The committee said that, because the lockdown has continued for an extended period and traders and transport workers have made significant sacrifices, food shops will be allowed to open for two days a week — Friday and Tuesday — from 2pm until Maghrib.
Medical stores are exempt from this restriction, according to the declaration.
The committee said the same standard operating procedure would apply to markets of different sizes and appealed to traders, transporters and members of the public to cooperate.
It also urged traders to sell essential goods at reasonable prices and warned against profiteering.
Tax boycott announced
The JKJAAC announced another major step, saying that from August it would call for a boycott of taxes, electricity, water, gas and other specified bills and dues.
The declaration specifically appeals to the business community not to submit the current year’s tax returns.
The announcement represents an escalation from street mobilisation towards economic pressure, although the practical scope and enforcement of the proposed boycott remain unclear.
Committee criticises Pakistani media
The declaration also contains strong criticism of Pakistani mainstream media.
The JKJAAC accused sections of the Pakistani media of giving one-sided coverage to the authorities while ignoring large public gatherings linked to the rights movement.
It also accused some outlets of spreading what it called false or fabricated propaganda against the committee.
At the same time, the committee praised international media outlets, including Al Jazeera, for what it described as more balanced coverage, and thanked Kashmir- and Pakistan-based social media activists for supporting the movement.
Committee reiterates position on Kashmir’s political status
The statement also sets out the committee’s position on the wider Jammu Kashmir dispute.
It describes Jammu Kashmir as a disputed territory under the framework of UN resolutions and says the future of the region should ultimately be determined through the free will of its people.
The committee argues that neither a plebiscite nor the measures it considers necessary before such a process have taken place.
It also links the current rights movement to the broader unresolved political question surrounding Jammu Kashmir.
Internet shutdown and humanitarian concerns
The JKJAAC said internet services in Pakistan-administered Kashmir have remained suspended for more than two months during the movement.
It further alleged that shortages of food and medicines, along with disruption to hospitals and educational institutions, have created serious difficulties for residents.
The committee appealed to the United Nations to play a role in preventing what it described as a humanitarian crisis.
These claims should be assessed independently through service records, hospital data, humanitarian reporting and testimony from affected communities.
August 19 solidarity march announced
The declaration sets out another major mobilisation date.
The committee said a large “solidarity caravan” will begin from Hambar on August 19, carrying food and medicines and travelling towards Rawalakot to express solidarity with the central sit-in.
It appealed to people across the Mirpur division and surrounding areas to participate in organising and strengthening the peaceful caravan.
The planned march indicates that the committee intends to maintain pressure while also addressing the shortages and logistical difficulties created by the prolonged shutdown.
Message to Pakistan’s public
The declaration concludes with a political message directed at the people of Pakistan ahead of the country’s Independence Day.
The JKJAAC congratulated the people of Pakistan on Independence Day while asking them to question why public resources are, in the committee’s view, being spent on political elites and the use of force in Kashmir rather than healthcare and education.
The message seeks to frame the Kashmir movement not only as a regional political dispute but as an issue connected to wider questions of public spending, governance and democratic accountability.
For the movement, the August 13 declaration marks a new phase combining political demands, economic pressure and continued public mobilisation.
The next major test will be whether the proposed market schedule, tax boycott and August 19 solidarity caravan can be implemented without further disruption to essential services or escalation of tensions.
