India Slams Pakistan Over PoK Crackdown, Says Trained Militants Now Turn Inward

India on Friday sharply criticised Pakistan for its handling of protests in the region India refers to as Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), alleging that more than 40 civilians have been killed in the crackdown. The criticism came during the weekly media briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), where spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal spoke on the situation.

Jaiswal said the Pakistani establishment has “unleashed ruthless force” against peaceful civilians in the region. He added that the crackdown has resulted in the tragic deaths of over 40 innocent people, with many more seriously injured. The spokesperson also referenced a statement by Pakistan's Defence Minister, who reportedly called the protesting civilians “enemies”, saying this exposed the establishment's disdain for the people of the region.

India also seized on recent remarks by Rana Sanaullah, Special Assistant to Pakistan's Prime Minister, who admitted in a television interview that the “Mujahideen” which Pakistan had trained, funded, armed, and sent to India have now turned their guns against the Pakistani state. Jaiswal called this an open admission of state-sponsored terrorism, noting that the very forces created for cross-border operations have now become a threat to their own creators.

The MEA also dismissed the recently held elections in PoJK, describing them as a “humiliating rejection” of Pakistan's establishment. Jaiswal said the people, facing a violent regime, have called for independent international investigations into the unlawful killings. India urged the international community to scrutinise Pakistan's actions and hold it accountable.

The appeal comes amid widespread protests in PoJK over allegations of electoral rigging, political interference, and suppression of democratic rights. The United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) has petitioned the United Nations, the European Union, and several Western nations to intervene. In a statement on X, the group urged international bodies to protect civilians and uphold international human rights law in the face of escalating violence.

India has consistently maintained that the entire former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir is its integral territory, and that Pakistan illegally controls a portion of it. Pakistan, which refers to the area as Azad Kashmir, has denied India's allegations of sponsoring cross-border terrorism. The two nuclear-armed neighbours have fought two wars over the disputed region and continue to face tensions over it.