Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee
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JKJAAC (official)
Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee جموں کشمیر جوائنٹ عوامی ایکشن کمیٹی Jammu Kashmir Joint Public Action Committee | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | JAAC (common) JKJAAC (official) |
| Spokesperson | Hafeez Hamdani/Shaukat Nawaz Mir/Umar Nazir/Imtiaz Aslam |
| Leader | 31 Core Committee Members |
| Founded | September 16, 2023 |
| Headquarters | Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir |
| Ideology | Economic justice Social justice |
The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (commonly abbreviated JKJAAC or JAAC) is a grassroots civil-society coalition and a socio-political organization based in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir, known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).[citation needed] It brings together traders, transporters, lawyers, students and other civic groups to press a mix of economic and governance demands — most prominently lower wheat and flour prices, electricity tariffs tied to local hydropower, and reductions in privileges for political and bureaucratic elites.[citation needed] The coalition emerged from a series of local trader- and rights-led mobilisations in 2023 and formalised as a cross-regional body later that year; it became the leading organiser of the large-scale unrest that gripped AJK in 2024 and resurfaced with renewed mass actions in 2025.[citation needed]
The JAAC movement is driven by a comprehensive 38-point Charter of Demands.[citation needed] These demands are categorised into two main areas: immediate economic relief and long-term structural changes. Economically, the JAAC demands significantly reduced power tariffs for AJK consumers, calculated based on the production cost of electricity generated from local hydro-projects like the Mangla Dam, and subsidised wheat flour prices equivalent to those offered in neighbouring Gilgit-Baltistan.[citation needed] Structurally, the movement insists on the abolition of perks and privileges enjoyed by the political elite and bureaucracy, and the removal of 12 seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly that are currently reserved for Pakistan-based refugees from Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.[citation needed]
The JAAC's rise to prominence stems from its ability to unite fragmented, localised grievances over economic hardship into a coordinated, statewide political force, fundamentally challenging the political status quo.[citation needed] The demand for electricity at production cost moves the discourse beyond simple subsidy requests toward a constitutional debate concerning AJK's degree of political autonomy, resource ownership, and royalty from locally exploited infrastructure, implying that the AJK populace possesses inherent ownership rights over resources within its territory. The organization views its movement as a necessary response to years of perceived economic exploitation and administrative neglect perpetrated by both the AJK administration and the Federal Government of Pakistan.[citation needed]
Local protests over rising commodity and electricity prices began in parts of AJK in 2022 and early 2023, often led by traders’ associations and transport unions. These protests included non-payment or symbolic burning of electricity bills, localized shutter-down strikes, and sit-ins; they spread from towns such as Rawalakot to other districts as civic groups and student bodies joined the cause. Over 2023, several local committees and traders’ bodies coordinated action and — by mid-September 2023 — the movement consolidated into a broader, region-wide joint action committee that coordinated strike calls and long-march plans. Journalistic coverage and local commentaries describe the JAAC as a coalition of trade bodies, transporters, lawyers, and student groups that became the main civil-society platform for this agitation.[1][2]
Although the AJK government attempted limited reconciliation—such as withdrawing a proposed increase in electricity bills and maintaining tariffs at the July 2023 level, a decision that reportedly burdened the local exchequer by Rs10–12 billion—these measures proved insufficient to quell the widespread discontent. The public remained critical, especially in light of the more favourable subsidies provided to Gilgit-Baltistan.[2]
The burgeoning movement gained decisive momentum in May 2023, following the launch of a sustained sit-in outside a flour depot in Supply Bazaar, Rawalakot, primarily targeting the soaring price of wheat. This localized protest served as the organizational nucleus, demonstrating the potential for civil society to organize around immediate economic pain.[1]
Post-formation, the JAAC quickly mobilized on a massive scale. By October 10, 2023, the committee had successfully organized large rallies across AJK that included women and children. This resilience was tested but maintained even during the severe winter months. In November 2023, the JAAC staged a similar protest that ultimately ended after the AJK government provided assurances to address their concerns. However, the failure of the government to implement these promises became the direct and central trigger for the large-scale confrontations that followed in 2024.[2]