Rawalakot: Unrest continues in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) after over 30 people were killed and around 200 injured in clashes between protesters and security forces.
The clashes erupted after authorities banned the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) — a prominent civil society alliance that has spearheaded protests over economic and political grievances in the region.
The local government in the occupied region outlawed JAAC on Friday, citing concerns over public order and security. Clashes broke out in the Rawalakot region after tensions flared over the death of a trader, who was allegedly shot during a confrontation with law enforcers on Friday night.
India maintains that Pakistan has been in illegal possession of Indian territory in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Protesters claimed that they had only asked for food, but received bullets.
The JAAC protesters had gathered outside a hospital mortuary on Sunday, where the body of another group member was taken after his death in a firing by the police.
The police alleged that JAAC activists used automatic rifles, petrol bombs and other weapons to target them when security forces tried to disperse the protesters, as reported by NDTV.
However, despite being attacked with automatic rifles and other lethal weapons, no security forces personnel are known to have suffered any injuries.
“As the result of the law enforcers’ response, six protesters were killed,” Sardar Waheed Khan, commissioner of the Poonch sector in the region, told news agency Reuters.
The authorities also confirmed multiple arrests during the operation. However, local residents and JAAC supporters disputed the official account and claimed the number of civilian casualties was much higher.
The clashes occurred a day ahead of planned protests by JAAC, which had called the strike to protest against the reservation of 12 seats for refugees in July 27 elections to the region’s legislative body, out of 45 up for grabs.
