Rawalakot protest death toll reaches 75, rights group claims
Images emerging from Rawalakot following the protest crackdown. Image: X/ @OsintTV.
New Delhi: The Jammu & Kashmir Human Rights Observatory (JKHRO), an independent rights group, says it has documented 31 more civilian deaths from a security crackdown in Rawalakot on July 27 and 28. That takes its overall count of deaths in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) since early June to 75.
Pakistani authorities have not confirmed this figure. Official casualty numbers remain much lower, making the death toll one of the central points of dispute.
The crackdown followed a “Long March” organized by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Rawalakot on July 27. The group, which has led protests in the region since 2023, is demanding greater political representation, regional autonomy and electoral reforms. It also wants the reserved assembly seat system reformed, saying it enables Islamabad to maintain undue influence over POK’s political process.
JKHRO says security forces responded with tear gas, baton charges and live ammunition. Pakistani authorities have rejected this account, instead alleging that armed, India-backed elements had infiltrated the demonstrations and prompted the security response. India has denied the allegation.
JKHRO had earlier documented 44 civilian deaths in the region between June 5 and July 26. The latest tally adds 31 more from the Rawalakot events.
The group is now calling for an independent international investigation. It also wants published lists of those killed and detained, the preservation of hospital records, post-mortem reports and forensic evidence, and access for international observers and UN human rights mechanisms.
As earlier reported by RNA, the Rawalakot crackdown had initially been reported with a death toll of around 20. Amnesty International had called for an independent investigation into the use of force and urged Pakistan to restore communications in the region and allow independent observers access.
This year’s unrest builds on protests JAAC has led since 2023 over governance and economic conditions in PoK. The demonstrations have intensified following the group’s ban and amid regional elections.
Protesters also continue to object to POK’s reserved seats for refugees from Indian-administered Jammu & Kashmir, arguing that these seats are held by people living outside the region.
No independently verified casualty count currently exists. The death toll remains contested between rights groups and Pakistani authorities.
