Pakistan, Oct. 3 -- The recent unrest in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) has shaken Islamabad out of its complacency. At least nine lives were lost on Wednesday, while official reports confirm 172 policemen and over 50 civilians sustained injuries in violent clashes.

With markets shuttered and roads blocked, ordinary citizens were not protesting for lofty slogans but for wheat subsidies, fair electricity tariffs, and relief from an economy that has pushed them to the edge. What unfolded in Muzaffarabad cannot be dismissed as the handiwork of hidden hands. It was the voice of a people who feel overlooked in the very political order they are told to safeguard.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's decision to respond swiftly deserves recognition. He...