India slams Pakistan for human rights violations in PoK violence; Kashmiris protest in UK

New Delhi: At least 30 people were killed, and over 200 were injured, as Pakistan’s security forces unleashed brutal violence on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as the region erupted into serious unrest over demands for political rights and a development package.

The popular protests turned violent on Tuesday, as Pakistani security forces unleashed brutality after attempting to break up the gathering of residents, who were participating in the stir called by the Joint Awami Action Committee (Jaac). Jaac was spearheading the unrest over its demands for political and human rights.

Jaac had protested the reservation of 12 seats for refugees out of 45 going to the polls on July 27 for the region’s legislative body. Jaac was also demonstrating against earlier incidents of violence, internet blackouts, the group’s ban, as well as issues such as electricity shortages, inflation, unemployment, alleged resource exploitation, and political marginalisation.

Just ahead of Jaac’s protest, Pakistan had banned the organization. Following the crackdown on the protesters, Pakistan announced a bounty of PKR 1 crore for information leading to the arrest of Jaac leaders, who were leading the demonstrations against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government in Islamabad.

Human rights violations in PoK

POK has, in recent days, witnessed violent clashes between Pakistan’s security forces and local protestors belonging to the Jaac, which has been seeking and campaigning for political reforms and an economic package for the underdeveloped region, which has been under Pakistan’s control since 1948. Pakistan’s own human rights commission was worried over the deteriorating situation in PoK, noting that it was “deeply concerned by the escalating confrontation and loss of lives” in the Jaac protests.

Pakistan’s human rights agency appealed for an immediate de-escalation, reducing tensions, and an impartial probe into all the deaths and injuries, including those of protesters and security personnel, in the ongoing violence. Warning that banning popular civil movements could reduce the democratic space within Pakistan and its occupied territories, the human rights panel said the demands for constitutional changes within Pakistan, particularly focused on POK, should be addressed through peaceful and representative means.

Jaac role in POK unrest

The POK protests that were going on for a while intensified last week after the Sharif government banned the Jaac. Islamabad had accused Jaac of “promoting hatred, terrorism, and anarchy” in Pok and cited this as the reason for outlawing it. The ban was announced ahead of Jaac’s call for a PoK-wide protest in Pakistan on Tuesday, the same day the PoK regime, on Islamabad’s diktat, announced a PKR 10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of four leaders of Jaac.

The Jaac has been quite active in POK, having organised several popular protests, against Islamabad’s control over the region and the lack of economic development benefiting the locals. In recent months, Jaac has organised mass demonstrations against high power tariffs, inflation, and seeking political rights for locals. In May 2024 and September 2025, similar Jaac protests led to confrontations with the security forces of Pakistan, resulting in several deaths and injuries to protesters.

India assails Pakistan crackdown

Against the backdrop of local civil unrest engulfing POK over a week, India has called on the global community to hold Islamabad accountable for its “misdeeds and abuses” in the region, recalling the severe police brutality that led to the killing of 20 protesters and injuring many more.

The external affairs ministry spokesman, Randhir Jaiswal, in his weekly media briefing on Tuesday, said India was watching a pattern of misinformation floated by Pakistan, in a bid to divert the international community’s attention away from its internal failures and alleged human rights violations in its occupied territories.

“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 away from its human rights abuses,” Jaiswal said on the recent widespread protests by the residents of POK. “There are reports of severe police brutality in POK in which several protesters have been killed and many injured. We hope the international community will hold Pakistan accountable for its misdeeds and abuses,” he said, replying to a question.

Kashmiris in UK protest

Meanwhile, the Kashmiri diaspora in the United Kingdom protested the Pakistani government’s military crackdown on protesters in PoK. The Kashmiri diaspora gathered in Manchester and held a symbolic “funeral prayer in absentia” for those killed in the recent violence by security forces on Jaac protestors in POK. They also demanded an independent investigation into the violence and deaths in the POK protests.

After holding their demonstration, the Kashmir diaspora group marched toward the Pakistani consulate and held a peaceful sit-in in front of the diplomatic office building. The protestors in Manchester held placards and banners that appealed to the international community, including the United Nations and global human rights organizations, to raise their voice against the “serious violations of fundamental human rights” in POK by Pakistan.

The protesting Kashmiri diaspora leaders claimed the POK residents, all civilians, exercising their democratic rights, faced excessive force and violence from Pakistan’s security forces, and called for an impartial inquiry. They said the situation in POK was alarming, as Pakistan forces brutally killed the protesting civilians. The Kashmiri diaspora also demanded “accountability” and “safeguards” for civil liberties in PoK.