Islamabad, July 29 (IANS) At least 40 people were killed and dozens injured in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) over the last two days during a brutal crackdown by Pakistani forces amid escalating unrest in the region.
Citing reports, the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) on Wednesday alleged that around 40 civilians were killed, while several others were injured and arbitrarily arrested between July 27 and 28 in Rawalakot, Mirpur, and other areas of the occupied territory.
Expressing grave concern, the group alleged that more than one hundred people have been killed since June 5, several hundred have been critically injured, and hundreds have reportedly been subjected to enforced disappearance by Pakistani security forces.
Condemning the atrocities by Pakistani forces, the UKPNP said that the “use of excessive or unlawful force against peaceful civilians would constitute serious violations of international human rights law and may amount to crimes under international law.”
The group called on the United Nations, the European Union and the wider international community to take immediate steps to “help protect civilians, support impartial and independent investigations into the reported incidents, and encourage respect for international human rights obligations.”
Meanwhile, Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) leader Sardar Amman Khan on Wednesday accused Pakistani forces of brutally killing dozens of protesters over the past two days, describing the crackdown as a “massacre” of unarmed civilians.
“In just two days, Pakistani forces have brutally killed 38 peaceful Kashmiri protesters. This is not law enforcement, it is a massacre of unarmed civilians demanding their basic rights,” Khan posted on X.
He further alleged that the situation in PoK continues to deteriorate under heavy repression, with “peaceful voices met by lethal force” by Pakistani authorities.
Calling for an immediate end to the violence, Khan demanded independent investigations and justice for those killed in PoK, stressing that the “world cannot remain silent” as innocent civilians lost their lives.
These ongoing protests across PoK have emerged as a direct challenge to Islamabad’s long-standing control in the region. Pakistani forces have responded with a brutal and indiscriminate crackdown on civilians, marked by alleged killings, injuries, and widespread repression, while the region remains under a strict blockade, curfew, and a total communications blackout.
–IANS
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