Shoukat Nawaz Mir is a prominent social leader from Azad Kashmir. He is an elder member of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC).
Early Life and Background
Shoukat Nawaz Mir was born on 1 January 1976 in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
He belonged to a political family linked with Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan and Muslim Conference.
Since childhood, he had a deep sense of public responsibility and civic duty.
Mir graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree while working to sustain his family’s business in Muzaffarabad.
Rise as a Trade Union Leader
Shoukat Nawaz Mir Azad Kashmir leader, Mir emerged into public leadership through unionism of traders in Muzaffarabad in 2003.
He was twice elected to a local traders’ organization with strong support from the business community.
In 2013, he became Secretary General of the Azad Kashmir Traders’ Organization, unifying several trader groups.
He helped establish the All Azad Kashmir Anjuman Tajran and served as its founding Secretary General.
In 2022, he was elected President of the Central Anjuman Tajran Muzaffarabad, strengthening his leadership role in AJK.
Environmental and Civil Advocacy
Mir actively supported environmental causes, especially campaigns to save rivers in Muzaffarabad.
He resisted destructive hydropower schemes such as Neelum-Jhelum and Kohala because of their environmental threats.
Alongside civil society actors, he promoted awareness about the protection of the environment in Azad Kashmir.
In August 2023, Mir co-established the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC).
The committee tackled problems of inflation, electricity rates, and governance collapse in AJK.
The 2024 Public Rights Movement
In May 2024, Mir organized one of AJK’s biggest civil rights movements.
The JKJAAC had called for a six-day shutdown for lower electricity tariffs and just subsidies.
The protests were peaceful, organized, and well supported by the masses.
The government sanctioned a Rs 23 billion relief package on May 14, 2024.
It was seen as a historic triumph for the masses of Azad Kashmir.
In December 2024, Mir protested against new ordinances restricting public gatherings and civil liberties.
His nonviolent protests compelled the government to repeal many repressive legislations.
Recent Leadership and Legacy
In May 2025, Mir addressed a gigantic rally in Lal Chowk, Muzaffarabad.
He issued the government a six-month ultimatum to enforce JAAC’s complete charter of demands.
He stressed constitutional rights, economic justice, and social equality in his speech.
People widely regard Shoukat Nawaz Mir as a symbol of democratic struggle in Azad Kashmir.
His leadership is a combination of public trust, disciplined activism, and a vision of just governance.
He continues to inspire civil rights movements, economic equity, and ecological sustainability in the region.
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