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Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has witnessed a sharp escalation in violence, with at least 37 people, including women and children, reportedly killed after Pakistani security forces opened fire on protesters, according to sources.
Clashes between security personnel and demonstrators have intensified since Monday, particularly in Rawalakot and Mirpur, where the highest number of casualties have been reported. The violence erupted during a long march organised by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) from Rawalakot to Muzaffarabad. Sources claimed that more than 30 civilians were killed and over 33 protesters injured during the security operation.
The JAAC, which has been leading the protest movement in PoK, insisted that demonstrators remained peaceful despite the crackdown.
“People have continued to stand peacefully and unarmed. God willing, our peaceful struggle against oppression and injustice will continue,” the organisation said in a statement.
Pakistan Denies Civilian Deaths
The Pakistan government has rejected reports of civilian casualties, claiming that members of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were present among the protesters and maintaining that operations against them would continue.
Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior Affairs, Talal Chaudhary, also ruled out any possibility of talks with the protesters.
Why Are Protests Taking Place In PoK?
PoK has been witnessing widespread protests since last month over rising living costs, alleged administrative neglect, political discrimination and accusations of rights violations against minorities.
The current agitation is being led by the JAAC, which has called for a boycott of local body elections and has organised demonstrations across the region. The group’s campaign centres around 12 contentious seats in the PoK Legislative Assembly, which it alleges are manipulated by Pakistan’s establishment to ensure the appointment of a prime minister of its choosing.
The unrest has coincided with elections to the region’s legislative assembly. India has repeatedly described the electoral exercise in PoK as an attempt by Islamabad to legitimise its control over the territory while masking what New Delhi calls serious human rights violations in the region.
Questions Over Voter Turnout
According to sources citing independent assessments, voter turnout during the first phase of polling in the Mirpur division remained below 10 per cent, significantly lower than the official figure of 45 per cent announced by authorities.
Several towns reportedly observed complete shutdowns in response to the JAAC’s boycott call, highlighting growing public dissatisfaction with the administration and declining confidence in the political process, according to sources.
Authorities have also been accused of imposing communication blackouts and suspending services across parts of PoK, restricting access to information and limiting independent scrutiny of the ongoing situation.
PoK Elections
The PoK Legislative Assembly has 53 seats, including 45 directly elected constituencies and eight reserved seats for women, technocrats and religious scholars.
Polling for 13 constituencies was held in the first phase on Monday, with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) winning nine seats and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) securing four.
Voting for the remaining 32 seats will take place in two phases on August 2 and August 10.
With protests continuing, allegations of a security crackdown mounting and key phases of polling still ahead, tensions remain high across PoK as the political crisis deepens.
