A Region Under Curfew
Azad Kashmir is enduring some of the most turbulent days in its history. Roads are blocked. Shops are shuttered. Electricity, internet, and mobile networks have been cut. Media is silenced. Communication with the outside world is nearly impossible.
Across the towns and valleys of Azad Kashmir, the streets are filled with voices of frustration and hope. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators march through Muzaffarabad, Bagh, and beyond, demanding dignity, justice, and basic human rights. These are not political slogans alone, but the cries of ordinary families struggling with rising food prices, unemployment, and years of hardship.
While protesters call for fairness, the government struggles to maintain order, and tensions remain high. But it is the everyday people … the shopkeepers unable to open their stores, the labourers who cannot work, the children sitting at home in darkness due to electricity cuts, who bear the heaviest cost of this crisis.
For many, the protests are not just about politics but about survival. Access to medical care, affordable flour, electricity, and fair opportunities has become a lifeline. In the middle of this unrest, humanitarian aid — from ambulances rushing the injured, to medical projects treating patients in remote villages — is the only shield protecting families from total despair.
In this environment, one thing has become clear: the need for humanitarian aid has never been greater.
A Lifeline in Lockdown
For years, our ambulance has served communities in Azad Kashmir at a modest cost of just £10 per day to cover fuel, driver, and maintenance. But during this lockdown, the demand has risen sharply.
- We have transported hundreds of injured people to hospitals, sometimes travelling as far as Muzaffarabad or even Islamabad.
- We have assisted protesters, police, and ordinary civilians alike. Every life matters, and our humanitarian work does not take sides.
- Our first aid team has provided urgent treatment on the ground, often within minutes of shelling or clashes.
This work is costly, dangerous, and exhausting. But without it, many Kashmiris would not survive. The death toll would be a lot higher.
A Story From Bagh: The Child Who Could Not Move
During the intense shelling near Bagh, 13 shells fell near one family’s home. Inside that house was a disabled child, bed-bound and unable to move.
The family closed the windows and doors as fumes filled the air, but still they struggled to breathe. They shouted for help. Protesters nearby rushed to their side and called our ambulance.
Our team arrived quickly. Our first responder used breathing apparatus and oxygen to stabilise the child. We took him to a local hospital, but that hospital wasn’t equipped do deal with the breathing issues the child was experiencing. We then rushed him to Muzaffarabad. But the hospital was overwhelmed. Hundreds of patients filled its wards. Doctors told us to move him again.
We tried another hospital, same result. Eventually, we were told to take him all the way to Islamabad. Despite roadblocks and restrictions, we made it through the Kohala Entry Point and delivered him safely for urgent treatment. The protesters even support us to get through by moving the crowds to the side.
This is just one story. But it is the reality of life in Azad Kashmir right now. Families are suffering. Patients are desperate. And without ambulances, many would not survive.
Why Our Ambulance Work Matters
Every journey costs money. Every oxygen cylinder, every litre of fuel, every medical kit is a lifeline.
- Without ambulances, injured protesters and police would bleed unattended.
- Without first aid, children exposed to fumes or tear gas would suffocate.
- Without transport, patients in rural villages would never reach Muzaffarabad or Islamabad.
Our Ambulance Project is more than a vehicle. It is a mobile lifeline.
On the Frontlines of the Protests
During the ongoing protests and lockdown in Azad Kashmir, our ambulances have been on the very frontlines of the crisis. With shelling, clashes, and stampedes injuring hundreds, the need for emergency transport has never been greater.
We have already transported hundreds of injured people from protesters demanding their rights, to low-paid police officers carrying out orders, to families and bystanders caught in the unrest. To us, there is no difference. Every Kashmiri life matters.
Our trained drivers and first responders have delivered life-saving care on the ground, treating bleeding wounds, broken limbs, and breathing difficulties before rushing patients to hospitals. In some cases, we have had to travel as far as Islamabad when hospitals in Muzaffarabad were overwhelmed and unable to admit patients.
This work is costly and dangerous, but it is essential. Without ambulances, many of these men, women, and children would not survive.
- £10 – Daily Running Costs
Keep an ambulance on the road for a day, covering fuel, driver, and basic maintenance. - £300 – Vehicle & Driver for One Month
Ensure a fully equipped ambulance operates continuously, saving lives every single day. - £3,600 – Annual Running Cost (Per Ambulance)
Sustain an ambulance for a whole year, ensuring hundreds of patients are rescued and transported safely.
👉 Donate Now to the Ambulance Project and help us continue transporting protesters, officers, and families to safety during this critical time.
Treating the Wounded in Times of Unrest
While our ambulances rush the injured to hospitals, thousands of Kashmiris still struggle to access basic medical care during these protests. Many come from poor backgrounds, unable to afford even the most basic treatment. Others are forced into debt by rising hospital and pharmacy costs, as prices are unjustly hiked during times of crisis.
This fund has already supported over 130 patients directly impacted by the unrest, people with broken bones, injured limbs, breathing difficulties, and other conditions caused by shelling and clashes. We even treated four police officers who burnt their hands while handling shelling equipment.
Protesters demanding their rights, low-paid officers on the frontlines, and ordinary families caught in the crossfire have all received support through this project.
Your donation ensures that no person, protester, officer, or civilian is left without treatment in their hour of need.
- £10 – Treat 1 Patient
Covers consultation, essential medicines, and basic care for one patient injured in the unrest. - £20 – Treat 2 Patients
Provides diagnosis and treatment for two people suffering from protest-related injuries or illnesses. - £100 – Treat 10 Patients
Delivers essential healthcare, medicines, and emergency treatment to ten patients.
Your support also funds:
- Medicines and equipment for mobile units responding to protests.
- Transportation for injured patients when hospitals are full or inaccessible.
- Emergency care for families affected by shelling and clashes.
👉 Donate Now to the Kashmir Medical Projects and bring hope, health, and dignity to Kashmiris who would otherwise be left untreated in this crisis.
Protesting Is a Human Right
The current crisis in Azad Kashmir is about more than politics. It is about human dignity. Protest is a human right.
We call on the government to:
- Stop using shelling and excessive force on peaceful protesters.
- Restore electricity, internet, and mobile networks.
- Allow media to report freely so the truth can be seen.
- Sit down with protest leaders for dialogue and compromise.
We also call on protesters to:
- Remain peaceful and avoid destruction.
- Protect the dignity of their cause through discipline and patience.
The solution lies not in violence or blackouts, but in dialogue and compassion.
Our Humanitarian Pledge
Kashmir Welfare Foundation is a humanitarian organisation. We are not political. Our only mission is to save lives and serve the most vulnerable.
This is why we have treated police and protesters alike. This is why we rush into areas others avoid. This is why we remain active even under blackout and shelling.
And this is why we ask for your support today.
The Diaspora’s Role
For Kashmiris in the UK and across the world, this is a moment of responsibility. We cannot end the blackout. We cannot stop the protests. But we can ensure families have ambulances, medicines, and medical treatment.
Your Zakat, Sadaqah, and Regular Giving make the difference between despair and hope.
Call to Action
The Azad Kashmir lockdown is not just a headline. It is a humanitarian emergency. Families are caught between unrest and silence. Hospitals are overwhelmed. Roads are blocked. Lives are at risk.
But you can be the difference.
👉 Donate to the Ambulance Project — keep ambulances running, fuelled, and saving lives.
👉 Donate to the Kashmir Medical Projects — bring healthcare to the remote and vulnerable.
Together, we can ensure that even in the darkest times, Kashmiris are not left alone.
Azad Kashmir UnrestFAQs
1. Why are ambulances so important during the Azad Kashmir lockdown?
Roadblocks, clashes, and overwhelmed hospitals mean patients need urgent transport. Our ambulances save lives daily.
2. Do you support protesters or police?
We support everyone. Our work is neutral and humanitarian. Every Kashmiri life matters. Azad Kashmir police are from the people and they belong to us too.
3. Why have ambulance costs increased?
The sheer number of injuries and the distances we cover (sometimes to Islamabad) mean higher fuel, equipment, and staffing costs. During times of crisis we extend our medical teams and first responders to ensure we can support those most in need fast, without this, without immediate care, the death toll of these protests can increase.
4. What does the Kashmir Medical Projects do?
They provide consultations, medicines, and treatment for patients from remote areas with little access to hospitals. Especially in times of crisis like this.
5. How can I help right now?
Donate to keep the Ambulance Project running and support the Kashmir Medical Projects. Even £10 can treat a patient or fuel an ambulance. This is the need of the time right now. We’ve halted our other appeals due to this emergency.
