- Pakistani Rangers opened fire, killing two, injuring thirteen.
- Protesters remained despite crackdown; AAC plans July 15 march.
Tension again intensified across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as Pakistani Rangers opened fire on peaceful demonstrators in the Kotri area of Rawalakot. The fresh wave of violence marking the 31st day of ongoing uprising left two protesters dead and 13 others severely injured, taking the total civilian death toll from Pakistani state actions to 61.
According to Exclusive photos and videos accessed by ABP News at approximately 2:30 PM, shortly after the afternoon prayers (Zuhr Namaz), Pakistani Rangers and PoK police launched a coordinated crackdown to forcibly evict the crowd of 2,000 protesters who had been staging a continuous sit-in at Kotri since June 13.
Security forces fired 20 to 25 rounds of live ammunition and launched heavy tear gas shells into the gathering. The deceased have been identified as 28-year-old Wajid and 47-year-old Sardar Nasir.
Unshaken Resolve and Last Rites
Visuals obtained from the ground show grief-stricken demonstrators carrying the bodies of their slain comrades through the area. Defying the heavy security crackdown, the remaining protesters refused to vacate the ground.
Later in the day, locals performed the last rites of Wajid and Nasir on a nearby hillside, unfurling the PoK flag over their final resting place as a symbol of resistance.
July 15 Mega March to Muzaffarabad
The Awami Action Committee (AAC), which is spearheading the region-wide uprising , had previously served an ultimatum to the Pakistani government, demanding the acceptance of their 38-point charter by July 8 at 11:59 PM.
Following the government’s complete failure to address their demands and today’s brutal deployment of force, the AAC officially announced a mega-march. On July 15, hundreds of thousands of protesters from all districts of PoK will march toward the capital city of Muzaffarabad.
Epicenter of Uprising and Military Surveillance
The anti-Pakistan sentiment in the region has reached an unprecedented high. Mass rallies were organized across various cities today, echoing angry chants of “Yeh jo dahshatgardi hai, iske peeche wardi hai” (The uniform is behind this terrorism), directly targeting the military establishment. The Eidgah ground in Rawalakot remains the epicenter, overflowing with an estimated 70,000 to 80,000 protesters.
Following the ground firing, Pakistani Rangers were seen operating helicopters over Rawalakot to monitor the swelling crowds from the air.
With the public completely turning against Pakistan’s Illegal Occupation the upcoming July 15 march could trigger a massive civilian uprising in Muzaffarabad, drawing parallels to the recent regime-shifting mass movements witnessed in Nepal and Bangladesh.
