Thousands of students poured into Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). They are demanding justice for 10-year-old Shayan Azhar, who was killed by Pakistani forces in a firing incident. The incident happened in the Bagh district of PoJK, which ignited widespread anger over this brutality perpetrated by the Pakistani state.
The protest was led by university and college students and saw demonstrators carry placards and chant slogans against the security establishment. They are demanding an independent investigation into the child’s death and an end to what they described as a pattern of impunity.
Kashmiris in #PoJK are refusing to kneel.. Pakistani forces and Punjab Police using intimidation and violence against protesters. People demanding their rights, are met with blatant force, while at global platform the same Pakistan rants about Kashmiri rights. @DrAnumJPMC @dravirmani @theAshleyMolly @samartoor3086 @AsYouNotWish https://t.co/vorw3JcIsm
— The Inside Story (@TheInsideStory7) October 27, 2026
According to reports circulating on social media and amplified by regional news outlets, Shayan was killed when security forces opened fire on civilians amid ongoing anti-Pakistan protests in PoJK. A video report by CNN-News 18 said that the 10-year-old boy identified as Shayan Azhar was brutally shot in Bagh district during a lockdown and communications blackout. The report said that Pakistani forces opened fire on civilians as tensions continued across the region.
The killing has struck a raw nerve in Muzaffarabad, where students have already been at the forefront of broader unrest. The 2026 protests, led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), began over political representation and economic grievances but have since evolved into a wider movement against state repression. Demonstrations have spread across Rawalakot, Mirpur, Kotli, Bagh, and Muzaffarabad, with students playing a central role in what has been described as a “Gen Z” uprising against the Pakistani government’s policies in the region.
This is nothing new; in PoJK, protests occur from time to time due to the brutality, violence, and plunder taking place in the region by Pakistani forces. During the protest that happened in 2024, Pakistani forces fired tear gas at schoolgirls. Since 5 June 2026, Internet and broadband services have been shut down. Apart from PoJK, the Pakistani army also commits atrocities in Balochistan and against the Hindu community.
