NEW DELHI: India on Friday denounced a crackdown by Pakistani authorities on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) that has claimed at least 10 lives and injured scores of people, and said the neighbouring country must be held accountable for “horrific human rights violations”.
Activists of Awami Action Committee (AAC) attend the funeral prayers for protesters who were allegedly killed by security personnel, during a demonstration in Muzaffarabad, capital of PoK on October 2 (AFP)
PoK witnessed widespread protests and violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces late last month after the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which represents civil society groups and traders, demanded an end to “elite privileges” for government officials and ministers and the scrapping of 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees from Jammu and Kashmir.
As people in PoK observed a complete shutdown to protest against the violence, the external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly media briefing that there were reports of protests in several areas of PoK and “brutalities by Pakistani forces on innocent civilians”.
“We believe that it is a natural consequence of Pakistan’s oppressive approach and its systemic plundering of resources from these territories, which remain under its forcible and illegal occupation,” Jaiswal said. “Pakistan must be held accountable for its horrific human rights violations.”
Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have always been and will remain an “integral part” of India, Jaiswal said, reiterating India’s stated position on the territories under Pakistan’s control.
On Friday, a group of negotiators deputed by Pakistan’s federal government held talks with representatives of the JAAC in Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoK, to end the unrest in the region. The violence erupted after an earlier round of talks between the JAAC and representatives of the federal and PoK governments broke down last week.
Pakistani authorities have imposed a complete communications blackout in PoK, cutting off telecommunications and internet access since September 28. Educational institutions have been closed, and authorities have also called in additional police and paramilitary forces from across Pakistan to bring the situation under control.
This is the third time since 2023 that PoK has witnessed widespread protests over issues such as rising electricity costs and a shortage of food items. The protesters have also demanded free education and healthcare facilities, as well as several major infrastructure projects.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), an independent human rights watchdog, has strongly condemned the “use of excessive force and the deaths of civilians and law enforcers” in the latest protests. It said that dialogue “cannot be meaningful amid the continued political disenfranchisement of the region’s people”.