Gen Z students in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir protest fee hikes and exam issues; tensions rise after firing incident sparks outrage. Photo: X.
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is boiling with Gen Z protests. Weeks after PoK witnessed violent unrest, student-led protests have resurfaced across the region, this time over fee increases and alleged flaws in the newly introduced examination and evaluation system. What began as peaceful demonstrations has sharply escalated, with anger directed at the Shehbaz Sharif-led government following a firing incident that left one student injured.
The fresh round of protests gained momentum earlier this month at the University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (UAJK) in Muzaffarabad. Students rallied against what they describe as a steep fee hike and multiple irregularities in exam results.
The protests were triggered after the rollout of a digital assessment or “e-marking” system at the matriculation and intermediate levels. After waiting six months for their intermediate first-year exam results, many students say they received unexpectedly low marks, while some claim they were marked as passing subjects they had never taken.
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To address complaints, the Mirpur Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education formed a review committee. However, the introduction of a ₹1,500 rechecking fee per subject fueled further anger.
According to local reports, the UAJK’s administration rejected allegations of a 60% fee hike, calling them “false and baseless.” The university clarified that a proposed ₹1,000 increase in transport charges had not been approved and was withdrawn immediately. It maintained that only a 10% annual fee adjustment is permitted under existing regulations.
Tensions escalated dramatically earlier this week when an unidentified man opened fire on students at a protest site and fled. The incident reportedly took place in the presence of police personnel and left one student injured.
Videos of the firing quickly spread online, sparking widespread outrage. In response, students blocked roads, burned tyres and raised slogans against the government and the Pakistan Army.
The Sharif government is reportedly concerned that the demonstrations, driven largely by Gen Z activists, may evolve into a broader anti-government movement. The unrest has been compared to recent youth-led protests in Nepal, where dissatisfaction grew around corruption, limited opportunities and social restrictions.
The region remains tense just months after large-scale protests in September, when talks between authorities and the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) collapsed. Protesters had issued a 38-point charter of demands and warned of mass mobilization if not accepted.
The resulting clashes between police and demonstrators turned deadly, leaving at least ten people.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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