Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned Pakistan's violent suppression of protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during a press briefing in New Delhi.
India urged the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for gross human rights violations, citing internet blackouts, police brutality, and over 90 deaths.
The public unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir initially erupted over the surging costs of electricity and essential commodities before expanding into demands for political reforms.
India Urges Global Community to Condemn PoK Violence
PoK remains highly volatile as police brutality and widespread internet suspensions continue to plague the area, where more than 90 people have died and numerous others have been injured amid the unrest
Summary
India's Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned Pakistan's violent crackdown on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Tuesday, calling upon the international community to hold the country accountable for the "gross violation of human rights".
Addressing a bi-weekly press briefing on August 11, 2026, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal criticised the ongoing crackdown on protesters. The region remains highly volatile as police brutality and widespread internet suspensions continue to plague the area, where more than 90 people have died and numerous others have been injured amid the unrest.
"Public discontent was answered with bullets, blackouts, repression and oppression, and many people have been killed," Jaiswal said. "I think it is time for the international community to take note of what is happening there and hold that country responsible for its atrocities."
Roots of Public Discontent
Demonstrations originally erupted in response to surging costs for electricity and basic essential commodities across the region.
These localized agitations quickly expanded into a wider campaign seeking immediate political reforms, a representative government and stricter official accountability. As political discontent deepened, the outlawed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) joined hands with various political factions to demand a boycott of the local elections over these unresolved grievances.
The PML-N secured a strong lead. The establishment-backed party won 24 of the initial 34 seats, preparing to form the administration, while the PPP secured 10. Though the PTI boycotted the election over rigging claims, a PTI-supported independent candidate captured the key LA-14 (Dhirkot) seat. This victory ended the decades-long control of the Sardar Atiq Ahmed Khan family.
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Voter participation plummeted as Only 46 per cent of electors voted in the first phase, while nearly 50 per cent cast ballots in the second. These figures fell well below past averages, which typically exceeded 60 per cent, after the PTI and the outlawed JAAC called for boycotts.
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