NEW DELHI: India has intensified its vigilance along the Line of Control following ongoing protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), with Indian security agencies closely monitoring the developing situation. The heightened alert comes in the wake of a recent appeal for assistance from Sardar Aman Khan, a prominent leader of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which is spearheading the agitation. Highlighting a severe shortage of essential goods in the region, Khan urged India to open the border and provide humanitarian aid.
The civil unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has escalated drastically since last month, triggered by the Pakistani government's decision to ban the JAAC under anti-terrorism laws. More than 100 people have reportedly been killed in violent clashes between the protesters and Pakistani security forces. The demonstrators are demanding the reinstatement of legislative assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees, an immediate resolution to severe food shortages, inflation, and unemployment, as well as the unconditional release of all detained protesters.