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Young students in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir are protesting steep university fees, flawed digital exams and a ban on student unions, could their movement ignite a broader revolt across the region and challenge the government’s grip on education?
The protests in POK erupted over rising fees and exam evaluation process.
Muzaffarabad: In Muzaffarabad students at the University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (UAJK) broke out in protest this month after they were hit by steep increases in university fees and a cascade of grievances tied to a new digital assessment system. The results of the intermediate first-year exams were released only after a six-month delay, and when they came many students claimed they received far lower marks than expected, while some discovered they were marked as having passed in subjects they said they never took. The administration promptly introduced a re-checking fee of Rs 1,500 per subject, which many students brand as a punitive measure rather than a remedy, deepening the sense of anger.
Crackdown on Student Voice and Unions
Adding fuel to the fire was the decision by campus authorities to ban student unions and all political activity at UAJK. For many students accustomed to organised campus politics and union representation the ban felt like the removal of a crucial platform for debate and advocacy, worsening the feeling that the system was stacked against them.
When Protest Turned Violent
What started as peaceful sit-ins and demonstrations soon escalated. Reports say a man identified as Raja Mamoon Fahad allegedly opened fire on protesting students while police officers looked on without intervening. The assailant reportedly fled the scene. The video of the shooting quickly went viral through social media and became a rallying cry for students and citizen groups alike. The incident marks a turning point: from education-sector grievance to wider anti-establishment sentiment.
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Broader Grievances Meet Youth Mobilisation
While the trigger was the exam fiasco and fee hikes, the movement taps into deeper grievances. The region of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) has long faced high youth unemployment, estimated at nearly 64 percent in some reports, along with accusations of systemic discrimination, poor governance, and diversion of resources for local benefit. The controversial 25 percent quota system for jobs and education in PoK is cited as a major irritant. Residents say decades of neglect and broken promises have accumulated into a volatile brew of frustration.
#BREAKING: Peaceful protest led by the students of the University of Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir took a deadly turn after some individuals backed by Pakistani ISI opened direct fire, injuring one student. According to eyewitnesses, during the protest, a person named Raja… pic.twitter.com/GVALsrrjBj
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) November 4, 2025
Student Movement Gains Institutional Support
The student protests now enjoy backing by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), a coalition of citizen and activist groups that has previously led major agitations in the region. With JKJAAC’s support the student voice is merging with broader social and economic demands, signaling that what began on campuses may soon sweep into civil society more widely.
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Government on the Defensive
For the regional government led by Shehbaz Sharif, the stakes are high. Officials are reportedly working to suppress the unrest before it morphs into a wider national movement. The concern is that if youth, students and civil society unite under a common banner of accountability, rights and reform the established order may face its biggest challenge yet in PoK. What began as a protest about exam results and fees can no longer be seen as just about education. It is now a contest over governance, representation and the stake of the youth in a region long underreported and under-served.
