• Source:JND

Pakistan Military Helicopter Crash: A Pakistan Army Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) during take-off on Wednesday. The Pakistan Army confirmed that there were no survivors.

What Caused The Crash?

According to a report by Dawn, citing the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the crash occurred "due to a technical fault." Videos shared on social media showed heavy smoke billowing into the sky near the crash site. Rescue teams were quickly sent to the site, and an inquiry has been ordered to find the exact cause of the accident.

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Protests In PoK

The incident comes at a time when Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is already facing tensions over governance, public rights, economic problems, and rising public protests since Monday. The crash has now added to concerns about Pakistan’s military control and pressure in the region.

Why Are Residents Protesting?

The ongoing unrest in PoK is driven by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a grassroots umbrella organisation formed in 2023. Led by civil society activist Shaukat Nawaz Mir, the group represents a coalition of local traders and civil society organisations. In response to their mobilisation, the so-called local government department officially banned the JAAC under the region's Anti-Terrorism Act of 2014, accusing the committee of engaging in terrorism, inciting hatred, creating public anarchy, and threatening state security.

The friction between the group and regional authorities has culminated in a bitter war of words regarding recent casualties in Rawalakot. In a video message broadcast on X, Mir fiercely condemned law enforcement, claiming that the state had initiated a "massacre" against local citizens.

The current protests are triggered by a legislative dispute over 12 reserved seats in the region’s 45-seat assembly, which is scheduled for elections on July 27. These specific seats are legally set aside for “refugees” who migrated from Jammu and Kashmir to other parts of Pakistan, such as Karachi, during the 1947 partition. However, a major legal loophole bars any refugee who actually resides within PoK from contesting these seats.

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