By Asian Marxist Review (AMR)
A wave of solidarity protests in support of the people of Jammu Kashmir took place today across Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi, where left-wing and progressive political parties, student organisations, trade union activists, lawyers, and members of civil society mobilised against the ongoing repression in Jammu Kashmir.
The demonstrations reflected growing concern over the ongoing crackdown in Jammu Kashmir, where dozens have been killed, hundreds arrested, and fundamental democratic rights continue to face severe restrictions under the pretext of maintaining “law and order.”
Lahore: Police Detain Protesters Before Demonstration Could Begin
In Lahore, police moved to prevent the demonstration before it had formally begun. Protesters gathering in solidarity with the people of Jammu Kashmir were surrounded, detained, and transported to nearby police stations in prison vans. Dozens of students, workers, and political activists were detained as the authorities forcibly dispersed the peaceful demonstration.
Despite the arrests, demonstrators continued raising slogans in solidarity with the people of Jammu Kashmir from inside the police vehicles, demanding an immediate end to the ongoing crackdown in the region. All detainees were released later in the day.
The arrests once again reflect the increasingly authoritarian response to peaceful expressions of political dissent.
Karachi: Section 144 Used to Block Peaceful Demonstration
In Karachi, the administration imposed Section 144 around the Karachi Press Club and sealed all access roads with shipping containers in an attempt to prevent a peaceful protest jointly called by lawyers and civil society organisations against the ongoing repression in Jammu Kashmir.
The organisers condemned the restrictions as unconstitutional and a direct violation of fundamental democratic and civil rights, stressing that the demonstration was entirely peaceful and intended to demand an end to repression and human rights violations.
To avoid confrontation despite the heavy restrictions, lawyers and civil society representatives recorded a limited protest, while other demonstrators held peaceful actions at High Court Chowrangi, Press Fountain, and Korangi Road. However, organisers warned that if the repression and human rights violations in Jammu Kashmir continue, future demonstrations will proceed regardless of Section 144 or other unlawful restrictions, placing responsibility for any escalation on the authorities.
Rawalpindi: Protest Held Amid Heavy Police Deployment
In Rawalpindi, activists from progressive organisations and members of the Kashmiri community gathered outside the Press Club to express solidarity with the people of Jammu Kashmir and condemn the ongoing repression. The protest took place under heavy police deployment, highlighting the authorities’ determination to restrict the demonstration despite its peaceful character.
Participants demanded an immediate end to repression, the release of political prisoners, and accountability for the killings and widespread human rights violations taking place across the region.
Democratic Rights Under Increasing Pressure
The coordinated restrictions on peaceful demonstrations across Pakistan’s major cities suggest that efforts to suppress solidarity with the Jammu Kashmir movement are extending beyond the region itself. Arrests, preventive detentions, bans on assembly, and restrictions on peaceful protest are increasingly being used against those expressing support for the people of Jammu Kashmir.
These developments point to a deepening trend towards authoritarianism, where peaceful political activity is increasingly met with restrictions, preventive detentions, and limitations on democratic rights.
The struggle for democratic rights in Jammu Kashmir is inseparable from the broader struggle of workers, students, and oppressed communities throughout Pakistan against repression, exploitation, and authoritarian rule. The solidarity displayed across Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi demonstrates that despite intimidation and arrests, support for the people of Jammu Kashmir and demands for democratic rights continue to find expression across the country.
