Violent protests have once again erupted in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), with demonstrators accusing authorities of failing to implement the Muzaffarabad Agreement, a landmark accord signed in 2025 to address long-standing economic and political grievances in the region.
The agreement, also known as the October 4 Accord, was signed in Muzaffarabad between representatives of the Pakistani federal government, the PoJK administration and the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a civil society alliance that has led several protest movements in the region.
Why was the agreement signed?
The Muzaffarabad Agreement was negotiated after weeks of violent protests and a region-wide shutdown in late September and early October 2025. The unrest left at least 10 people dead and hundreds injured.
The demands focused on rising economic hardships, subsidies on wheat and electricity, governance reforms, reduction of privileges enjoyed by political elites, and greater local rights and autonomy for residents of PoJK.
