Gen Z takes to streets in POK over education woes and governance failures

New Delhi: Weeks after Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) witnessed violent unrest, the region has once again erupted in protests — this time driven by the Gen Z population, largely students, demanding educational reforms. What began as a peaceful demonstration over rising fees and grievances about the evaluation system has spiralled into broader anti-government agitation targeting the Shehbaz Sharif administration.

The protests, which began earlier this month in Muzaffarabad, initially saw students rally for better facilities and fairer assessment methods. However, tensions escalated when an unidentified gunman opened fire on demonstrators, injuring one student. Footage circulating on social media showed a man firing at protesters in the presence of police officers, though the video’s authenticity remains unverified. The incident triggered widespread chaos, with angry students burning tyres and chanting slogans against Islamabad.

Authorities responded by banning political activities at the university where the agitation started. Yet, the movement only grew, drawing in intermediate students who are opposing a newly introduced digital assessment system. Frustrations intensified after the delayed release of intermediate first-year results on October 30, which many students claimed contained glaring errors under the new e-marking process. Some alleged they received marks for subjects they had not even taken. In response, the Mirpur education board has set up a committee to review the system.

Adding to the anger is the steep rechecking fee — Rs 1,500 per subject — forcing students seeking re-evaluation of all seven subjects to pay up to Rs 10,500. Protests have since spread beyond POK, with students in Lahore staging a sit-in outside the Press Club last month.

The discontent now extends well beyond education, with young protesters citing decaying infrastructure, poor healthcare, and limited transportation. Their cause has been bolstered by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), the group that spearheaded the violent protests in October that left over 12 civilians dead. That earlier unrest, sparked by demands for tax relief and subsidies, ended only after the Sharif government signed an agreement with demonstrators.