Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has publicly defended the government's crackdown on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), drawing sharp condemnation after reportedly equating the demonstrators with India. Speaking in a video that surfaced on social media platform X, Asif said he places the protesters 'in the same category as India' and considers them 'enemies like India' — remarks that have intensified outrage over a crackdown that has, according to reports, claimed the lives of more than 40 people.

What Happened on the Ground

The violence erupted during a Long March organised by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a civilian coalition that had been pressing Pakistani authorities over human rights conditions in the region. Talks between JAAC and Pakistani officials reportedly broke down without a mutually acceptable outcome, prompting the renewed public mobilisation.

Multiple videos shared on X — including from the JAAC's own verified handles — showed Pakistani security personnel firing on civilians in Mirpur and Rawalakot. Footage depicted bodies on roads and overturned motorbikes, with locals fleeing the scene. Pakistani police authorities were separately accused of specifically targeting young members of the Mirpur Awami Action Committee.

The Death Toll and Injuries

According to reports, at least 40 people were killed and hundreds critically injured. In a post on X, JAAC stated that the identities of 19 deceased individuals had been confirmed, with one additional fatality — a person with a bullet wound to the head and no identification documents — whose body was taken to Palandri Hospital, bringing the confirmed total to at least 20 at the time of that update. The organisation noted that further details were contingent on daylight and the restoration of communications.

'In Mirpur, the public has martyred five more people on the streets; in Churhoi, the public is on the streets,' JAAC posted on X, adding that 'honourable people are on the streets bearing the pain of their brothers' across multiple areas.

JAAC's Account of the Crackdown

The JAAC directly accused Pakistani forces of shelling and firing on civilians in Rawalakot. 'Rawalakot situation tense once again. Forces shelling and firing on peaceful public,' the committee posted. In a separate post, it warned Pakistani authorities: 'The worst firing continues on the daily life caravan — We are picking up the bodies, but you will not be able to endure this hatred that you are sowing today.'

The committee's posts on X painted a picture of a region under communications blackout, with ground-level information trickling in slowly as security forces maintained a heavy presence.

Context and Wider Implications

The crackdown in PoK comes amid longstanding grievances over economic marginalisation and human rights conditions in the region. This is not the first time JAAC has led protests — the committee has previously organised demonstrations over subsidies and governance issues, but the scale of the current violence marks a significant escalation.

Defence Minister Asif's remarks, likening civilian protesters to a foreign adversary, have drawn attention both within Pakistan and internationally, with critics arguing the framing reflects an intent to justify the use of lethal force against unarmed citizens. As communications are gradually restored in the region, a fuller picture of the casualties and the extent of the crackdown is expected to emerge.