The month of June 2026 once again witnessed Pakistani-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in a state of massive protests, demonstrations, unrest and violent clashes because of the deadly crackdowns by Pakistani security forces against unarmed civilian and leaders of Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). Around 30 civilian have been killed, roughly 200 are injured and thousands have been detained by the security forces.
However, this is not the first time that PoJK had witnessed brutal killing by security forces and violence on the streets. In fact, it is has become a common phenomenon in PoJK as well as in Gilgit-Baltistan. In May 2024, during protests over inflated flour prices, electricity bill and taxation Pakistani security opened fire in which 4 protestors were killed and over 100 were injured in Muzaffarabad. In September 2025 also 9 people and 3 police officers were killed in PoJK as a result of violent clashes between security forces and civilians who were protesting for their rights.
In response to this, Islamabad sent a negotiating committee to Muzaffarabad to hold peace talks with JAAC but it had no results.
Human rights abuse in PoJK
Pakistan called PoJK as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) which means Free Jammu and Kashmir. But in reality is that, in this so-called AJK, the residents are anything but free. They do not even enjoy the basic human rights, freedom of expression, association and movement. Before 2005 earthquake in PoJK, it has been the most closed territories in the world. Basically, all affairs of the political life of PoJK are indirectly controlled by the Pakistani Government in Islamabad, Pakistani Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
In PoJK the human rights are violated, freedom of press is controlled but terrorist organisations are operating with the open support of Pakistani Government and its Army. The territory of PoJK is underdeveloped and the people are economically and financially dependent on Islamabad. Their poor socio-economic and political conditions, weak administrative institutions, legal restrictions on freedom of association and strict control on media have been the main causes of human rights violations in PoJK.
The continuous subjugation of PoJK by Pakistan has led to an acute sense of alienation and discontent among its residents. To raise their voices against human rights abuse political activists and civil society have mobilised to lodge demonstrations and political rallies. But these voices are suppressed by the authoritative administration and barbaric security forces. Over the years, arbitrary arrest, detention, atrocities at the hands of the Pakistani army and police has become a routinely affair in PoJK.
Deadly violence and unrest in PoJK
The aggrieved and oppressed people of PoJK has planned to launch a massive protest under the banner of JAAC which is a popular umbrella organisation of different stakeholder of PoJK including traders associations, civil society coalition, political activists and various socio-religious organisations. JAAC has scheduled a massive rally on June 9, 2026 called as ‘Muzaffarabad Chal’ march to protest against exorbitant electricity bills, inflation, high taxes, poor governance and political rights.
They were demanding subsidised electricity bills, subsidised flour as well as the restoration of political and economic rights of the people of three regions of PoJK namely Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and Mirpur. But on March 5, 2026 four days before the protest march the Home Department of PoJK banned the JAAC under Anti-Terrorism ACT 2014. The authorities in Rawalakot accused the JAAC of “misleading the masses” and provoking them to indulge in violence against the Government.
The Pakistani security forces on June 5, 2026 during a pre-protest crackdown opened fire on civilians in Rawalakot near Khaigla Burma Bridge, allegedly killing Shahzib Habib, a senior JAAC leader and many others. It is alleged that the tensions intensified following the killing of JAAC leader and resulted into massive unrest across PoJK during his funeral procession. Banning the JAAC, killing of civilians and detaining of several protest leaders sparked public outrage resulting into massive protests, mass detentions and violence in PoJK ahead of June 9.
The telecom and internet services have been suspended enforcing complete blackout. Tourists have been asked to leave the territory. Additional security force has been deployed to stifle dissent.
India’s response
The Government of India strongly condemned these oppression and brutalities on the residents of PoJK. India slams Pakistan and urges the global community to hold Pakistan accountable for these brutalities and human rights abuses. India also lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over its plan to hold general elections to the so-called Giglit-Baltistan Assembly as its Indian territory and has been illegally and forcibly occupied by Pakistan.
The Official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs of Government of India, Randhir Jaiswal while slamming Pakistan, said there have been “desperate” attempts by Islamabad to cover up its “failings” and deflect attention away from its alleged human rights abuses. “We continue to see in this context, a pattern of fake news and videos emanating from Pakistan. It is a desperate attempt by Pakistan to cover up its own failings and deflect attention away from its human rights abuses”.
He further said, “There are reports of severe police brutality in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir in which several protestors have been killed and many injured. We hope the international community will hold Pakistan accountable for its misdeeds and abuses”.
British Parliamentarians raise concern
The issue of unrest due to violation of fundamental rights of PoJK and their continuous suppression by the Pakistan has invited the attention of the Parliamentarians of British Parliament. More than 50 British parliamentarians have expressed their deep concern over the issue and have urged the UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper regarding the rising tensions in PoJK, communications blackouts and arrests of political activists. They have also asked the UK Government for diplomatic intervention to encourage de-escalation, restoring of communications and support dialogue between authorities and activists.
The changing dimension of the movement
The movement in POJK is launched against the issue of inflation, taxation polity and exorbitant electricity bills has now evolved into a broader expression of dissatisfaction with governance, political rights in PoJK and forcible occupation of the territory. The people have been raising their voices strongly against the security forces for their torture and atrocities. They are also condemning Pakistan’s systemic exploitation of natural resource, oppression of people, suppression of their voices and human rights violations. The political activists and the civil society of PoJK is now demanding accountability, transparency in the governance and greater public participation in decision making process in POJK. They also demand justice for those who were killed during firing. In one voice, they also demand freedom from Pakistan.
Scars of people forcefully displaced from PoJK in 1947
Dr. Shreeya Bakshi, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology in the Central University of Himachal Pradesh called the action of security forces on the protestors that killed 30 residents and injured hundred as brutal and repressive. She informed that her family has been forced to displace in 1947 from Planderi Tehsil of Poonch district when Pakistani Army waged communal violence against Hindus and Sikhs of Mirpur, Poonch and Muzaffrabad.
Even after decades those who remained in PoJK are not immune to violence. The authoritarian administration of PoJK playing under the hands of Islamabad has exploited the people of PoJK for decades in the name of so called Azad Jammu and Kashmir Government. The people of PoJK are suffering heavily due to inflation, high taxes and electricity bills. There is absence of political rights in PoJK. And when people raise their voice against human rights violation they are forcibly suppressed, arrested and in many cases gunned down. She asserted that Human Rights Association must raise their voice on global platforms to expose the real face of Pakistan and its atrocities on illegal occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Dr. Narinder Singh Raina, Member of Legislative of Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir represents Ranbir Singh Pura constituency of Jammu district which is basically dominated by PoJK displaced persons from Poonch. Dr. Raina raises serious concern over the on-going brutalities on the people of PoJK by the Pakistani security forces. He called it as barbaric action against the peaceful protestors including the children and pregnant women. He said it is the right of the residents of PoJK to raise their voice against their economic and political exploitation. Despite addressing their issued the administration of PoJK has been targeting the peaceful protestors which require global condemnation.
Arvind Gupta who is an elected Member of Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir from Jammu West Assembly having thousands of families of PoJK Displaced Persons from Mirpur, Bhimber and Kotli. He also condemned the civilian killing and brutality of security forces on the people of Bhimber and Kotli districts of Mirpur division in Rawalakot and Muzaffrabad. He said that the action taken by security forces and authorities against the peaceful protestors of PoJK has bruised the hearts of every Mirpuri whether living in PoJK or any part of India or abroad. He said use of force to supress the non-violent movement for economic crisis, political rights and human rights violation is highly condemnable and shows the repressive attitude of Pakistani controlled PoJK Government.
Dr. Deepak Kapoor, a retired Deputy Director of Health Services, Jammu is a senior eye specialist whose family was forced to flee from Muzaffrabad during Pakistan aggression on Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. He is a President of PoJK Visthapit Sewa Samiti which is national organisation of PoJK Displaced Persons of 1947. He expresses his deep concern regarding the recent killings of the innocent residents of PoJK by the security forces. Dr. Kapoor said the security forces and administration has always been authoritative and discriminatory against the residents of PoJK. It is because the Governments in PoJK have always been puppet regimes or rubber stamps duly approved by the Pakistani Government.
PoJK has rich water and mineral resources, yet its people face power shortages and pay high electricity bills. Pakistan’s systemic exploitation and human rights violation against the residents of PoJK is harsh reality. He said that Pakistan itself is a failure state and when people of POJK challenge Islamabad’s authority over PoJK and demanded their political rights, the Pakistani security forces fire bullets on them. He extends full support to the cause of PoJK residents who are suffering heavily at the hands of Pakistani led Government of PoJK. He also urged the UNHRC for taking cognizance of the use of lethal force against peaceful protestors and their human rights violations.
