PoK clashes: JAAC says 37 killed in protests over 12 reserved seats

Clashes between security forces and protesters under the banner of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) have continued in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), with the JAAC claiming that at least 37 people, including women and children, have been killed in the violence. The group, which has been leading demonstrations for over two months, said in a statement quoted by PTI: "The number of those injured remains unknown. Amid heavy gunfire, our people have continued to stand peacefully and unarmed. God willing, our peaceful struggle against oppression and injustice will continue."

The rising tensions come at a time when regional elections are underway in PoK. The unrest also follows a wave of violent clashes that left several dead and injured more than a month ago, marking an escalation in a movement that had been gathering momentum for over a year.

The JAAC is a collective of activist groups, traders, civil society organisations and political activists. It has been protesting against the existence of 12 seats in the PoK legislative assembly that are elected outside the region's geographical and operational boundaries. According to local claims, the Election Commission does not conduct polling for these seats, and they are effectively used by the federal government to get its preferred candidates into the assembly. Activists allege that these seats are manoeuvred to elect a prime minister of the establishment's choice as well.

Beyond the electoral issue, the coalition has spearheaded demonstrations against rising electricity prices, taxation policies and governance problems. The protesters' 38-point charter has directly targeted alleged financial corruption and unchecked privileges of the ruling elite. The unrest reflects growing anger over economic hardship, political disenfranchisement and what activists describe as increasing restrictions on civil liberties.

In response to the protests, which began in June, the Pakistani government has banned the JAAC and booked its leaders on stringent charges, including terrorism and sedition. Demonstrators are currently determined to march towards Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoK, to press Islamabad into accepting their demands, according to PTI.

Meanwhile, India has reiterated its position on the region. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Tuesday: "India's position on this matter has been clear, consistent, and well known. The entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, including the areas currently under Pakistan's illegal and forcible occupation, are integral and inalienable parts of India." He added that the ongoing mass protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir are a direct consequence of Pakistan's economic exploitation, denial of fundamental rights and administrative oppression.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also expressed concern over the use of force against protesters. Speaking to reporters in Ganderbal, he said: "As far as the situation in that part of Kashmir is concerned, we are all worried. The reports coming from there, the way force is being used and innocent people are being targeted — we can only hope that peace is maintained there."

In contrast, the Pakistani government has denied the JAAC's death toll claims, saying that militants of the banned Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were present among the protesters and that the crackdown against them would continue. Pakistan's Minister of State for Interior Affairs, Talal Chaudhary, has refused to engage in any talks with the protest leaders.

The situation in PoK remains volatile, with both sides blaming each other for the violence. The international community has not yet issued a major statement on the clashes, but human rights organisations have urged restraint and a peaceful resolution to the grievances raised by the protesters.