As protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) against Pakistan administration’s economic blockade continues, civil rights activist Sardar Aman Khan, who is spearheading the agitation there, on Saturday appealed to people in J&K’s Srinagar, Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu as well as in the union territory of Ladakh to stand in solidarity with residents of the region on July 5, the day on which the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a PoK based civil rights group, plans to hold fresh demonstrations against widespread human rights abuse.In a video message, Khan alleged that Pakistani authorities had launched a severe crackdown on protesters and even stopped food supplies to pressure the movement.“We have faced atrocities. Our food has been stopped,” he said, urging people across J&K and Ladakh to support the residents of PoK in their struggle.The appeal comes amid continuing protests across PoK, particularly in Muzaffarabad and Rawalkot.JAAC is an umbrella organisation leading the civil movement through a 38-point Charter of Demands. Its key demands include economic reforms and an end to unequal distribution of local resources.On June 30, addressing protestors in PoK’s Rawalkot, Khan had hinted that locals could seek closer ties with India if the situation worsens further.The protests, which are being seen as a massive setback to Islamabad’s control over the region, had on June 30 seen thousands of demonstrators erupt at Eidgah ground in Rawalakot, protesting that PoK is not a part of Pakistan, and explicitly warning the administrative regime of a permanent shift in allegiance toward India if things go from bad to worse.Addressing a massive cheering crowd of thousands, Khan had declared that “PoK is not a part of Pakistan. We do not need Pakistan. Rather, it is Pakistan that desperately needs PoK.”“If the Pakistani establishment continues to block food, let it be known that the remaining borders of PoJK could open up. If that happens, Islamabad will find itself begging the people of PoJK to stay,” Khan had said on June 30.The public uprising has been driven by a 38-point charter of demands targeting decades of systemic state repression, crushing inflation and administrative neglect. For over three weeks, protesters have occupied the Rawalakot grounds, demanding absolute freedom from Pakistan’s illegal occupation, sources said.As a retaliatory measure, the Pakistani government has suspended internet services across the region since June 5.However, the state-sponsored digital blackouts have failed to curb the unrest.The agitation has triggered widespread solidarity demonstrations by the global PoK diaspora outside various Pakistani Embassies and High Commissions across the world.Local leadership has made it categorically clear that the civil rebellion will neither halt nor back down until the regional capital, Muzaffarabad, and the entirety of PoK are completely liberated from Pakistani administrative control.Last month, JAAC, whose leaders were attacked and detained by Pakistani security forces on June 5, days before their planned march to Muzaffarabad on June 9 to protest against various public-centric issues impacting daily life there, had urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to convene an urgent Special Session on the human rights situation in the region.According to sources aware of developments, the JAAC had further sought deployment of a UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions for an independent investigation into the alleged killings which took place between June 5-9 in PoK.Urging European Union (EU) intervention, the JAAC had also sought issuance of formal démarches to Islamabad demanding immediate cessation of live fire against civilians.The civil rights group had also requested EU to demand the release of all detained JAAC members arrested solely for peaceful assembly.