Islamabad, June 10 (IANS) Islamabad’s actions in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are not about security but maintaining an illegitimate hold through fear. Pakistani security forces have using brutal force against people holding protest against decades of exploitation, political disenfranchisement, and economic neglect, a report has stated.
In recent days, protests have erupted in Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Neelum, and other areas. Led by platforms like the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), the protesters have demanded an end to elite privileges, cheaper essential commodities like wheat and electricity, the removal of reserved seats for outsiders and basic political rights, a report in Khalsa Vox mentioned.
Pakistani forces responded to protesters with tear gas, water cannons, live ammunition, and mass arrests. As per reports, at least 11-12 people have been killed and more than 70 others have been injured, suspension of internet services have been put in place in PoK. However, protesters have claimed that casualties are higher, with dozens detained and a communications blackout is hiding the full scale of the crackdown.
“This is no isolated incident. It fits a grim pattern. In 2025, similar protests over inflation, resource exploitation (like the Mangla Dam and Neelum-Jhelum projects that benefit Pakistan while locals suffer), and governance failures met lethal force, leaving multiple dead in Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, and surrounding districts. Pakistani authorities flood the region with troops from Punjab, impose curfews, and label legitimate grievances as ‘terrorism’. The message is clear: dissent against Islamabad’s stranglehold will be met with overwhelming violence,” the Khalsa Vox report detailed.
People’s grievances in PoK are rooted in systemic betrayal. Residents in PoK face severe poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment despite the strategic and natural wealth of the region. Pakistan extracts resources from PoK and provide the people of the region little in return. As per the report, Pakistani military and bureaucracy handles the political structure of PoK instead of local representatives. Protesters have been demanding self-rule, accountability, and an end to the plundering of resources. However, Pakistan continues to treat the people of PoK as subjects and not citizens and using the repressive tactics.
“Pakistan’s actions in PoK are not about security; they are about preserving an illegitimate hold through fear. As protests swell and the death toll rises, the world sees the truth: ‘Azad’ Kashmir is neither free nor just. True justice demands an end to this occupation and respect for the aspirations of a long-suffering people. The guns of Pakistani forces may temporarily silence the streets, but they cannot extinguish the cry for dignity and self-determination,” the report stated further.
On Tuesday, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed concern over the escalating confrontation in PoK and loss of life of protesters and law enforcement personnel.
HRCP has called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and stated that demands for constitutional change should be pursued through peaceful, representative and democratic processes instead of confrontation and violence.
In a statement shared on X, HRCP mentioned, “We urge an immediate de-escalation of tensions and an impartial investigation into all deaths and injuries. The state must remember that proscribing popular movements invariably risks narrowing democratic space. Demands for constitutional change should be pursued through peaceful, representative and democratic processes rather than confrontation and violence.”
–IANS
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