PoK Violence Escalates As JAAC Claims Over 50 Killed

Violence has escalated in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), with more than 50 people reportedly killed and hundreds injured during a four-day crackdown by Pakistani security forces, according to the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

JAAC member Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri claimed that Pakistani forces had used lethal force against protesters.

The organisation said demonstrations continued late into the night across the Muzaffarabad region, with residents demanding the protection of fundamental rights and the implementation of commitments allegedly made by local authorities.

The US-based Human Rights Foundation (HRF) condemned the reported use of force against unarmed demonstrators and urged Pakistani authorities to halt the crackdown, restore mobile and internet services, and ensure accountability for any unlawful use of force.

Citing local civil society groups, the HRF alleged that Pakistani security personnel opened fire on thousands of peaceful protesters. It also claimed that authorities removed bodies from hospitals and detained several activists in an attempt to suppress evidence.

The organisation added that an internet blackout and severe restrictions on media access have made independent verification of the claims difficult.

The HRF called for an impartial investigation into the reported killings, accountability for those responsible and due process for those detained. It also expressed solidarity with people peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Separately, a delegation from the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP), led by Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, met United Nations officials in New York to raise concerns over the deteriorating human rights situation in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The delegation urged the UN and the international community to take immediate steps to prevent further violence, protect civilians, return bodies to families, disclose the whereabouts of missing persons and secure the release of those unlawfully detained.