Seven killed as security forces move against PoK protesters.
JAAC demands lower prices, services and political autonomy.
Rights commission urges Pakistan to prevent further violence.
Seven people were killed and about 23 were injured in a crackdown on protesters in Rawalakot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), on Thursday. Multiple accounts alleged that security forces used drones during the operation, which reportedly marked a renewed government effort to suppress demonstrations.
Security forces moved against protest camps set up by the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) on Thursday, according to the Print. The operation involved Pakistan Rangers, Frontier Corps personnel, and local police. The JAAC, a grassroots coalition, has been at the forefront of months-long anti-government demonstrations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has continued since June 2026, when the JAAC began organising protests over a range of economic and political demands. Its 38-point charter calls for cheaper electricity and wheat, better healthcare and education, more jobs and greater political autonomy.
It also seeks the removal of 12 reserved seats in the region’s legislative assembly. The committee has since been banned under Pakistan’s anti-terrorism law.
The latest crackdown has added to tensions, with protesters alleging that armed drones were used during the operation. Some also claimed that RPG-7 rockets were fired towards residential areas.
Senior JAAC leader Umar Nazir held Pakistan's media, institutions and top political and military leadership responsible for the violence, saying they would have to answer for it “in this world and the hereafter”.
He accused the authorities of branding unarmed residents as terrorists and using mass violence against people demanding basic services and rights.
“Today, you have declared unarmed citizens as terrorists and committed mass killings in Kashmir, which is under your administration, for demanding basic rights of the people, clean water for drinking, health facilities, education, and the right to ownership and governance. You have martyred nearly 100 young people. You are going to answer to the countries of the world.”
Human Rights Commission Calls For Halt
More than 150 people have reportedly died in connection with the protests since early June. Rights-related concerns have also grown over alleged excessive force, enforced disappearances and communication blackouts. Thursday's operation further fuelled demonstrations across the region.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) called for urgent action to stop further violence in Rawalakot after reports of fresh clashes left both protesters and security personnel dead or injured. Referring to a fact-finding visit it conducted in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in August, the commission urged federal and local authorities to prevent the situation from worsening and open meaningful talks to address public grievances. It raised its concerns in a statement on X.
