At least 11 people were killed and more than 70 injured on Sunday during violent clashes between police and protesters in Rawalakot city, the capital of Poonch district in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The unrest erupted days before a major demonstration planned by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a civil society group that authorities recently banned under anti-terror laws.

Authorities responded by deploying federal paramilitary troops and issuing a strict travel advisory, urging visitors to avoid the region and asking those already present to leave. Despite these measures, the planned protest on Tuesday proceeded amid heightened security.

The fatalities included four police officers and a passer-by, who were reportedly shot by "miscreants," according to Sardar Waheed Khan, commissioner of the Poonch district. Six protesters also died in the clashes, while 23 security officials and 50 protesters sustained injuries, Police Chief Liaqat Malik stated.

These protests stem from deeper, long-running grievances regarding governance and economic conditions in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, often referred to locally as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The ban on the JAAC, a group that has been vocal about these issues, appears to have galvanized the current wave of unrest.

Pakistan-administered Kashmir is a semi-autonomous region with its own prime minister and legislative assembly, but ultimate authority rests with Islamabad. The region's population exceeds four million people. It is separated from Indian-administered Kashmir by the Line of Control (LoC), a heavily militarized border stretching 740 kilometers.

The JAAC has been advocating for improved economic conditions, including fair pricing for essential commodities, and greater political autonomy. Their demands have resonated with a population that feels marginalized and underserved by the central government.

Experts suggest that the current crisis is symptomatic of ongoing debates about the governance structure in AJK. The region's semi-autonomous status, coupled with the perceived lack of direct representation and control over local affairs, has fueled discontent for years.

While the immediate trigger for Sunday's violence was the planned protest and the ban on the JAAC, the underlying causes are rooted in decades of political and economic issues. The high number of casualties and the deployment of paramilitary forces underscore the gravity of the situation and the challenges faced by authorities in managing dissent in the disputed territory.