The Pakistani establishment’s ongoing crackdown in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has resulted in over 40 civilian deaths and serious injuries to many others. India highlighted these figures on Friday and urged the international community to scrutinize Islamabad’s ruthless actions against peaceful protesters.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the PoK situation during a media briefing in New Delhi.
“As you have yourself witnessed, the Pakistani establishment continues to unleash ruthless force against peaceful civilians in PoJK,” Jaiswal stated. “This crackdown has resulted in the tragic death of over 40 civilians and serious injuries to many.”
Jaiswal also called the ongoing elections in the region a rejection of the Pakistani establishment.
Protests Over Non-Resident Legislative Seats
Elections for 45 contesting seats in the PoK legislative assembly are taking place across three phases, concluding on August 10.
For the past two months, civil society group Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has led massive protests. The demonstrations center on 12 assembly seats reserved for non-residents. Protesters accuse Islamabad of manipulating these seats to install a Prime Minister of its choice.
According to JAAC, at least 14 of its activists died and over two dozen suffered injuries in clashes with security forces during the election’s first phase. Local sources peg the overall death toll from indiscriminate firing by security forces on peaceful demonstrators at 150. Authorities have also imposed an internet shutdown across the region.
Governance Failure and Economic Exploitation
Sources monitoring developments in PoK attribute the unrest to a complete collapse of local governance.
Residents also protest severe “economic extraction.” While dams in PoK generate power far beyond local requirements of 400 MW, residents suffer up to 20 hours of power cuts daily. They also pay electricity tariffs far above generation costs.
The protesters’ 38-point charter directly targets financial corruption and the unchecked privileges of the ruling elite.
Pakistani Officials Brand Protesters as ‘Enemies’
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif defended the military crackdown in a television interview. He categorized the protesters alongside India and referred to them as “enemies like India,” ruling out any dialogue.
Additionally, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs openly admitted the manipulated nature of the reserved seats.
“Its absolute disdain for the innocent people of PoK was laid bare when the Defence Minister branded the protesting civilians as enemies,” Jaiswal said regarding the Pakistani government’s posture.
Jaiswal noted that people in PoK have appealed to international organizations for an independent investigation into unlawful killings.
“We urge that the international community should scrutinize Pakistan’s actions and hold it accountable for its atrocities,” Jaiswal concluded.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
