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According to activists, Pakistani military personnel, Punjab Rangers and police opened fire on demonstrators, allegedly using live ammunition, long-range tear gas shells & snipers
Supporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) gather during a week-long protest in Rawalakot in PoK. (AFP)
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) remained on edge on Tuesday after a deadly crackdown by Pakistani security forces on anti-election protesters in Rawalakot, with protest leaders vowing to continue their agitation despite casualties and Pakistan’s opposition leaders sharply condemning the use of force.
The violence erupted in Rawalakot’s Dreik Eidgah area, where large numbers of residents reportedly boycotted the elections and gathered to protest. According to the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) and local activists, Pakistani military personnel, Punjab Rangers and police opened fire on demonstrators, allegedly using live ammunition, long-range tear gas shells and snipers positioned at strategic locations.
Protest organisers claimed that at least 20 Kashmiris were killed and hundreds injured in the crackdown.
Eyewitnesses also alleged that bullets struck walls as security personnel fired into crowds.
Blackout, Barricades and Calls for International Intervention
Following the violence, protesters claimed they had barricaded all major entry points into Rawalakot to prevent additional security forces from entering the city after polling elsewhere in PoK.
Residents also alleged that authorities imposed a communications blackout, with mobile services, internet connectivity and electricity reportedly cut across parts of the region.
“Cellular services are down, internet services are down, and forces have even cut off the electricity,” another protester claimed, urging independent journalists and international organisations to focus attention on Rawalakot.
Several protesters described the crackdown as unprecedented. “The tale of oppression you have written on the soil of Rawalakot today has no parallel in history,” a speaker said, accusing administrative officials of ordering direct firing on civilians using heavy weapons.
Awami Action Committee Says Movement Will Continue
Despite the casualties, the JKJAAC insisted the movement would continue.
Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri, a core member of the committee, said the long march would not be halted and vowed to seek justice for those killed. “We will not stop. We will seek justice for the blood of our martyrs,” he said, adding that the committee’s next strategy would be announced at Maqbool Butt Shaheed Chowk in Rawalakot as marchers continued entering the city.
The committee also said Umar Nazir Kashmiri’s brother, Usman Nazir, along with another activist identified as Mushtaq’s son, was among those killed during the previous night’s violence.
Pakistan Opposition Leader Condemns Crackdown
The crackdown also drew criticism from Pakistan’s opposition.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), condemned the firing on protesters and accused Pakistani state institutions of failing to address the crisis before it escalated.
Calling the use of force “open terrorism”, Rehman said, “Firing on their own unarmed people by forces intoxicated with power is open terrorism.” He further alleged that the people of PoK had rejected what he described as “rigged elections” and questioned why those demanding their rights continued to be labelled foreign agents.
“The state must immediately stop the oppression and grant the people their right to legitimate protest,” he said, adding that his party stood “shoulder to shoulder” with the people of Kashmir.
Situation Remains Fluid
The situation in Rawalakot remained tense, with thousands of protesters reportedly continuing to converge on the city despite the crackdown.
Many of the claims regarding casualties, the communications blackout and the actions of Pakistani security forces have been made by protest groups and local activists, and have not been independently verified. Pakistani authorities had not issued a detailed public response to the allegations at the time of writing.
About the Author
Group Editor, Investigations and Security Affairs, Network18
Islamabad, Pakistan
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