Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKACC) core committee member, Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri, on Thursday made an urgent appeal to international media and global human rights organisations, urging them to immediately take note of the escalating crisis in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Since September 29, Pakistani authorities have suppressed a peaceful movement by PoK residents and JKACC members. They have committed human rights abuses, curbed civil freedoms, and killed innocent civilians.
According to Nazir, these actions have already resulted in the deaths of at least nine unarmed citizens, while hundreds more have sustained injuries.
Since September 28, the Pakistani authorities have enforced a complete communication shutdown across PoK, suspending mobile services, internet and landline networks. This effectively isolates millions of people from the outside world.
A JKACC statement said, “Authorities have sealed inter-provincial highways to deliberately create shortages of essential items, food, and fuel. They are also registering cases against JKACC leaders, activists, and journalists.”
Nazir Condemns State Repression
Nazir stressed, “These measures are not just blatant violations of human rights but also a direct breach of the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which safeguard every person’s right to life, liberty, peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.”
Reiterating the peaceful and constitutional nature of the movement, Nazir confirmed, “JKACC’s struggle is based on the 38-point Charter of Demands submitted months ago, which remain unfulfilled despite the government’s December 2024 promise to implement 12 key points.”
Among JKACC’s central demands is independent and across-the-board accountability and the removal of excessive privileges from the ruling elite, bureaucracy and judiciary.
They also demand the transfer of full powers and funds to local bodies, the revival of student unions and fixed quotas for persons with disabilities.
Additionally, they call for the abolition of 12 reserved seats for refugees in Pakistan, free and quality healthcare and education, interest-free loans for youth and tax relief.
Nazir asserted, “These demands are not rebellious acts, but reform-based proposals intended to guarantee justice, dignity and prosperity.”
“Attempts by elements of Pakistan’s establishment and non-state actors to crush a peaceful movement with violence amount to violations not only of the principle of self-determination but also of key UN values and the Geneva Conventions,” the statement added.
Nazir also sharply criticised segments of Pakistan’s media for circulating false and misleading accounts to hide the ground realities from its 250 million citizens, as well as the global community.
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