PANJEERA, Kotli district — Residents in Panjeera say the town has remained largely shut for five days amid continuing tension and public protests, with reports of intermittent gunfire and disruption to supplies of food and other essentials. The accounts, provided to The Azadi Times, could not be independently verified.
Residents said large numbers of people had gathered in the town and that a public protest was continuing. They also alleged that security personnel were largely confined to government buildings and that food and other basic supplies had been disrupted over the past 48 to 72 hours. The scale of the disruption and the reported security arrangements could not be independently confirmed.
The latest accounts come amid wider unrest in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir. On 10 November, Pakistan’s state broadcaster, Radio Pakistan, reported that five security personnel were injured in a firing incident in the Panjeera Bazaar area of Kotli. Citing a police spokesperson, it said the personnel had been clearing road obstructions when they came under fire, which authorities attributed to members of the Joint Awami Action Committee. That account has not been independently verified by The Azadi Times.
Other reporting has described shutdowns and protests in several parts of the region following deadly clashes in Rawalakot earlier in November. The circumstances of individual incidents and competing accounts of the violence remain contested.
Residents describe an unprecedented mobilisation
People familiar with the situation described the scale of public mobilisation in Panjeera over the past two days as unprecedented in the town’s recent history. Residents also reported that red flags had been raised in parts of the town.
A slogan circulating among supporters of the protest describes the mobilisation as a defining moment in Panjeera’s history. The wording reflects the sentiment of those sharing it, rather than an independently established assessment of the events.
Questions remain over supplies and security situation
The reported disruption to food and other essential supplies raises concerns for residents if the shutdown continues. The Azadi Times has not independently confirmed the duration or extent of shortages, and no verified information was available at the time of writing on any injuries, arrests or damage in Panjeera during the latest period described by residents.
No independently verified statement from the district administration or local police addressing the residents’ latest claims was available at the time of publication. The Azadi Times will update this report if further information is confirmed.
Editorial note: This report is based partly on accounts supplied by local residents. Claims about gunfire, the presence and position of security personnel, and shortages of essential supplies remain unverified. The Azadi Times distinguishes these accounts from information attributed to official sources.
