India Calls Out Pakistan Over PoK Crackdown, Demands Global Accountability As Death Toll Rises To 27
India Calls Out Pakistan Over PoK Crackdown, Demands Global Accountability As Death Toll Rises To 27 Published By, Last Updated: June 09, 2026, 21:21 IST
India Calls Out Pakistan Over PoK Crackdown, Demands Global Accountability As Death Toll Rises To 27 Published By, Last Updated: June 09, 2026, 21:21 IST India condemns Pakistan forces for killing protesters in Rawalakot, PoK, as JAAC led unrest over inflation and disputed Assembly seats, with at least 27 dead and internet curbs Muzaffarabad [PoJK], June 9 (ANI): Tensions continue to escalate in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) after Pakistani security forces shelled tear gas on protestors following fresh clashes People are dying in the streets of Rawalakot. Security forces in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) opened fire on protesters on Monday, and by Tuesday, India, for one, had seen enough. The Ministry of External Affairs did not hesitate in calling a spade, a spade and called it for what it was: brutality. And then it asked the world to say the same, and not remain quiet on a matter of Pakistani state- terrorism. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, speaking at a media briefing in New Delhi on Tuesday, did not hesitate, nor did he mince his words. “There are reports of severe police brutality in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir 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. He also accused Islamabad of running a deliberate disinformation campaign to contain the fallout.
“We continue to see 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 added. What Is The Ground Reality In Pok? The unrest – centres on the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a civil society alliance that has spearheaded protests over inflation, electricity tariffs, unemployment and political rights. At the core of the current crisis is a specific constitutional grievance: 12 reserved Assembly seats allocated to refugees from Jammu and Kashmir who settled in Pakistan following Partition, six for refugees from the Jammu region and six from the Kashmir region. Additionally, individuals living outside PoK continue to exert political influence over the region through these seats. JAAC claims that these seats are filled using fake State Subject certificates to benefit influential political figures rather than genuine stakeholders, with citizens protesting the allocation of local land and resources to elite individuals under the guise of welfare for the local destitute. The death toll, as of Tuesday, is contested. Pakistani forces fatally shot protesters in Rawalakot, with at least 27 people killed according to reports, though unconfirmed accounts suggest the actual toll could be higher. Internet and digital communication services have reportedly been suspended in parts of the region amid fears of further unrest.
