To the American Kashmiri diaspora:  

We enjoy safety, open internet, and the liberty to speak without fear. 

But right now, our families in Azad Kashmir are being forced into total silence and darkness. As Americans, our unique privilege is not just a blessing—it is a profound duty to our roots. When our people back home are stripped of their voice, our freedom becomes their only line of defense. We cannot sit in comfort while our homeland burns.

In response to widespread public movements demanding basic human rights—fair electricity costs, flour subsidies, and local political representation—the government has repeatedly imposed severe internet blackouts, mobile network shutdowns, and curfews.

But this is no longer just a digital blackout. It is a deadly human rights crisis.

Since the current wave of unrest began on June 7, 2026, dozens of people have been killed in structural crackdowns, deployment crossfires, and election-day violence. Under the cover of total information darkness, local communities are completely cut off from the world, emergency services are blocked, and peaceful assemblies face severe, live-ammunition force. 

Those killed are not statistics—they are family members, workers, and youth targeted or caught in the crossfire of excessive state force. The casualties heavily involve peaceful demonstrators associated with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) fighting for economic reforms.

As of July 27, 2026, the documented individuals who have lost their lives include: Usman Sabir, Fahad Barkat, Wasaid Siddique, Naqash Zardad, Jamshed Ashraf, Muhammad Rasheed, Tariq Resham, Abdullah Farooq, Adeel Rafiq, Zahid Yaseen, Abdul Rahman, Masood Tabassum, Muhammad Naveed, Subhan, Raja Rafakat, Malik Kalim, Asif Khan, Muneeb Habib, Hammad Mustafa, Shahbaz Hussain, Muhammad Hussain, Raja Ahsan, Ehsan Asghar, Malik Sohail, Arslan Akbar, Mansoor Nazar, Wajid Hayat, Zafar Iqbal, Sardar Naeem, Wajid Siddiq, Nazir Nazir, Naukat Khadim, Muhammad Tariq, Shabeer Mustafa, Raja Zahid, Adeel Hussain, Bilal Ahmed, Raja Adnan, Ali Raza, Azzam Arshad, Haider Ali, Usama Tahir, and Daniyal Jamil. 

Our families cannot speak for themselves right now. If we don’t use our protected American voices to fight for our bloodline, nobody else will. We are petitioning the United States Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad to immediately leverage their diplomatic relationship with Pakistan.

We demand that U.S. officials pressure authorities to:

 1. Permanently restore full, unrestricted internet and communication networks across Azad Kashmir so the diaspora can reach their families.

2. Formally support the United Nations' call for a prompt, thorough, and independent investigation into civilian deaths and hold security forces accountable for excessive violence.

3. Guarantee the uninterrupted flow of critical humanitarian supplies, including food and medicine, to curfew-bound cities.

Take Action Right Now:

1. SIGN this petition immediately to leverage our power as U.S. residents and voters.

2. SHARE it across your social media networks, family channels, and WhatsApp groups.

3. FOLLOW these accounts on social media to bypass official censorship and stay up to date with real, unfiltered ground updates: Aqeel Bhai and Sardar Umar Nazir Official.

Please use your freedom to stand up for human rights in Azad Kashmir, your people need you.