After JAAC's protest call, various areas in PoK are abandoned, with markets and streets left empty.

In different parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, shops and markets were shut down as a result of a protest organized by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). This came after reports of over 20 people being killed in recent police action in the region. The protest, which was launched from Bhimber on Tuesday, saw about 2,000 participants who plan to travel to Mirpur and then onto Muzaffarabad, according to BBC Urdu.

Security forces and police were seen patrolling the roads and other areas as a precautionary measure. The JAAC had been demanding subsidized flour and electricity, leading to their outlawing by authorities on Friday due to concerns over public order and security. As a result, the streets of Muzaffarabad were deserted and there was a heavy presence of riot police and paramilitary personnel, as reported by Dawn.

However, no protests were seen in the city, unlike in Mirpur where hundreds of people gathered at the Quaid-i-Azam stadium. "Shops are closed here, and traffic is off the roads," said local journalist Sajjad Jarral in a telephone interview with Dawn. The legal fraternity of PoK also showed their support for the protest by boycotting judicial proceedings, following the arrest of senior lawyer Amjad Ali Khan, who was a core member of the JAAC.

The ongoing violence in PoK during these clashes has caused deep concern for Pakistan's human rights body. In an effort to contain the situation, authorities announced a reward for anyone who can help in the arrest of the key leaders of the JAAC, offering a whopping Rs 10 million for information leading to the successful arrest of Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Omar Nazir Kashmiri, Sardar Aman, and Khawaja Mehran. The identity of those providing such information will be kept confidential, as stated in the official notification.

Meanwhile, the so-called Prime Minister of PoK, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, has urged for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing tensions. He acknowledged that while some of the demands made by the protesters, particularly regarding refugee seats, need to be carefully reviewed, the best solution can only come through discussion rather than confrontation. The JAAC has been advocating for the abolition of 12 "refugee seats" in the so-called Legislative Assembly in PoK, which are reserved for refugees from Kashmir who settled in Pakistan after 1947.

The situation in the region remains tense as authorities continue to monitor the situation closely. This is PTI reporting for Orissa POST, Odisha's No.1 English Daily.