Recent protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have seen security forces using harsh measures against demonstrators demanding an end to exploitation and political disenfranchisement. The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has led protests in various areas like Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, and Rawalakot, seeking basic rights and an end to elite privileges. Pakistani forces have responded with tear gas, water cannons, live ammunition, and mass arrests, resulting in casualties and injuries.
The protests stem from long-standing grievances over poverty, unemployment, and lack of development in PoK despite its strategic and natural resources. Locals feel marginalized as Pakistan benefits from the region’s resources without adequately supporting its people. The military and bureaucracy control the political structure in PoK, leading protesters to demand self-rule, accountability, and an end to resource exploitation. However, Pakistan continues to suppress dissent and treat PoK residents as subjects rather than citizens.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed concern over the escalating tensions in PoK, emphasizing the need for peaceful resolution through democratic processes. HRCP has called for an impartial investigation into the deaths and injuries during the confrontations, urging the state to respect the right to peaceful assembly and pursue constitutional changes through dialogue instead of violence.
