'Pakistani Forces Out': PoK's Youngest Lead Protests From Front Lines

Protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) entered their 14th consecutive day on Monday, with the movement taking a striking new turn as schoolchildren and women joined demonstrations calling for independence and an end to what they describe as Pakistan's illegal occupation of the region.

At the main protest site in Rawalakot's Eidgah Ground, where over 70,000 demonstrators have maintained a sit-in for more than 11 days, dozens of schoolchildren were seen holding placards bearing slogans such as "Pakistani Forces Out Out," "Pakistani Forces are Killing Kashmiris," "Kashmir Under Pakistani Attack," "We Want Basic Rights," "We Want Free Education," "Food is Blocked Internet is Turned Off," and "UNO, We Need Your Attention."

The sight of children aged between 10 and 12 years openly chanting freedom slogans has become one of the most visible aspects of the ongoing unrest, drawing attention to what many in the region describe as deepening political repression, economic hardship, and military dominance.

Women March Across Towns And Villages

Beyond Rawalakot, protests spread to several towns and villages. In Tarar Khel, Sudhnoti district, young schoolchildren gathered in a public square to raise independence slogans. In Mandhole, hundreds of women marched through the area, chanting for freedom and denouncing the Pakistani government and military as occupiers.

Sardar Aman Khan, a senior organiser of the protests, addressed the crowd at Eidgah Ground, warning Pakistani authorities that their room to manoeuvre was shrinking while the people of PoK still had options available to them.

"If the Pakistan Army continues its oppression, the entire military apparatus will be pushed out of PoK," Khan told thousands of supporters gathered at the site.

Khan also referred to Pakistan's military history with other ethnic communities, citing what he described as past atrocities against Bengalis and the continued suppression of Baloch and Pashtun populations. He drew a direct warning from those examples.

"If Kashmiris cannot live in PoK, then the Pakistan Army will not be able to live here either," he said.

June 23 Deadline Issued by Awami Action Committee

The protests are being coordinated by the Awami Action Committee (AAC), which has set a deadline of 23 June for the Pakistani government to accept a charter containing 38 demands. Should those demands go unmet, AAC leaders have said they will organise a march of more than 100,000 protesters from Rawalakot to Muzaffarabad, the administrative capital of PoK.

Khan suggested the march would be aimed at establishing popular control over political institutions in Muzaffarabad. "The government in Muzaffarabad will belong to the Awami Action Committee," he told supporters, comparing the movement to mass uprisings that led to political change in countries such as Nepal and Bangladesh.

Internet Cut, Food Trucks Blocked

The protests have coincided with what activists describe as a worsening humanitarian situation. Internet services across PoK have been suspended since 5 June, significantly limiting communication and media access. Since 14 June, food trucks have been blocked at entry points into the region, leading to shortages in several areas and adding further fuel to public anger.

58 Deaths Reported Since Unrest Began

Clashes between protesters and Pakistani Rangers and security forces have resulted in 58 deaths since the uprising began.

With the 23 June deadline now days away, the standoff between the AAC and Pakistani authorities appears to be entering its most critical phase.

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