SRINAGAR: At least 11 people have been killed and scores injured in escalating clashes between protesters and security forces in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoJK), triggering widespread shutdowns, internet blackouts and international concern over alleged human rights abuses in the region.
The violence erupted after authorities banned the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a civil society alliance that had spearheaded protests over political representation, rising prices and governance issues ahead of legislative elections scheduled for July 27.
According to Reuters, at least 11 people were killed during clashes in Rawalakot on Sunday night, prompting a sweeping crackdown by authorities. Protesters and residents reported that cities and towns across the region came to a standstill on Tuesday following a strike call by the banned organisation.
Muzaffarabad government has even announced a bounty of 10 million Pakistani rupees for information leading to the arrest of four JAAC leaders — Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Umar Nazir Kashmiri, Khawaja Mehran Arshad and Sardar Aman Khan, reports appearing in sections of media said.
Authorities have also initiated sedition proceedings against some of the leaders, accusing them of anti-state activities through speeches, videos and written material.
A complete shutter-down strike was observed across major areas including Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Bhimber and Kotli. Shops remained closed, public transport disappeared from roads and internet and mobile data services were suspended in several parts of the region.
Reuters quoted Muzaffarabad resident Zahid Amin as saying that Muzaffarabad, the region’s largest city, with a population of 550,000 is completely deserted and utterly lifeless.
The unrest intensified after the JAAC called for a region-wide protest against the reservation of 12 legislative assembly seats for refugees living in Pakistan. Protesters alleged that the arrangement enables Islamabad to influence electoral outcomes in the region.
The strike and protests followed violent clashes in Rawalakot, where Pakistani Rangers and police confronted demonstrators gathered around funeral processions and protest gatherings.
India strongly condemned the violence and urged the international community to hold Pakistan accountable.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “There are reports of severe police brutality in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in which several protestors have been killed and many injured. We hope the international community will hold Pakistan accountable for its misdeeds and abuses.”
He also accused Pakistan of spreading misinformation to divert attention from alleged human rights violations in the region. “We continue to see in this context a pattern of fake news and videos emanating from Pakistan. It is a desperate attempt by Pakistan to cover up its own failings and deflect attention from its human rights abuses,” he said.
The crackdown has drawn concern from international rights organisations and foreign lawmakers.
Amnesty International said the “violent and sweeping crackdown” involving internet shutdowns, mass arrests and use of deadly force reflected “an alarming deterioration of human rights in the region.”
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan also expressed concern over the escalating confrontation and the loss of lives.
More than 50 British parliamentarians reportedly wrote to UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper expressing concern over communication blackouts, arrests and deteriorating conditions in the region. The United States Embassy in Islamabad and other countries including the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada also issued advisories related to the security situation.
The JAAC emerged in 2023 as a coalition of traders, lawyers, transporters and civil society groups demanding economic relief, political reforms and greater autonomy in PoJK.
Previous protests led by the group over electricity tariffs and flour prices in 2024 and 2025 had also turned violent.
The latest agitation centres around political representation and demands for abolition of reserved assembly seats for refugees from Jammu and Kashmir settled in Pakistan.
While Pakistani authorities maintain that the measures are necessary to preserve public order, protesters and rights groups allege excessive use of force and suppression of dissent.
Legislative elections in the region are scheduled for July 27 amid rising political tensions and heightened security across the region.
