Stand for Azad Kashmir: Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba Stages Massive Protest Outside Islamabad Press Club

Share With Other!

ISLAMABAD: In response to the ongoing administrative turmoil, economic grievances, and government crackdowns in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT) organized a large-scale protest outside the National Press Club in Islamabad. Thousands of students and youth from universities and colleges across the twin cities gathered to voice solidarity with the people of AJK.

Demonstrators chanted energetic slogans demanding basic civic rights, immediate restoration of high-speed internet, and the unconditional release of civil society activists and local leaders detained under anti-terrorism laws. Participants held banners and placards calling for an end to coercive measures and demanding direct, transparent negotiations.

Key Highlights and Core Demands

Fulfillment of Civil and Economic Rights: Student leaders urged both federal and regional authorities to immediately honor commitments regarding electricity and wheat subsidies, local constitutional rights, and self-governance.
Restoration of Communication Lines: Protesters condemned the blanket internet blackouts enforced across several districts of AJK, labeling the measure a violation of fundamental rights and demanding instant restoration of all digital services.
End to Coercive Measures: Speakers highlighted that criminalizing peaceful civil society groups—such as the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC)—and deploying executive force only deepens political instability rather than resolving it.

Declaration by Student Leadership: “The people of Azad Kashmir are demanding nothing more than their constitutional and economic rights. The state must abandon force and heavy-handed tactics in favor of meaningful, peaceful dialogue. The student community stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the citizens of AJK in their struggle for justice.”

The demonstration concluded with a collective prayer for regional stability and the safety of the citizens of Azad Kashmir. IJT leadership warned that if the government fails to address these legitimate demands through genuine dialogue, the protest campaign will expand to academic institutions nationwide.