Pakistan's Human Rights Council (HRC) on Wednesday, 29 July voiced grave concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), sharply questioning the national media's silence on alleged abuses in the territory that have reportedly left over 40 civilians dead and dozens injured. The rights body's statement marks one of the most direct domestic challenges to Islamabad's handling of the ongoing unrest.

HRC's Key Demands

The Human Rights Council emphasised that protecting civilians' fundamental rights — including freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest — is a 'state and constitutional responsibility.' It called for 'transparent, independent, and impartial investigations' into all incidents where human rights violations are alleged to have occurred.

Addressing Pakistani media directly, the HRC stressed that 'conveying facts to the public is the media's fundamental duty,' adding pointedly: 'Silence breeds questions, while justice demands transparency.' The body also called on authorities to halt the use of force, ensure immediate medical care for the injured, and protect civilian lives and property.

Videos Show Forces Firing on Civilians

The rights body cited videos — which have circulated widely on social media — purportedly showing Pakistani security forces firing on civilians in Mirpur and Rawalakot. It described the situation in PoK as 'extremely alarming from a humanitarian perspective.' Footage shared on social media platform X, including by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), reportedly showed bodies on roads and scattered motorbikes following the crackdown.

The unrest is linked to a long march organised by the JAAC, a civilian coalition that has been at the forefront of protests in PoK over economic grievances and governance concerns. Reports claim over 40 people were killed and hundreds critically injured during the march, though independent verification remains difficult given restricted media access to the region.

Defence Minister Compares Protesters to 'Enemies Like India'

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif drew sharp criticism after defending the crackdown, reportedly equating the protesters with adversaries of the state. In a video that surfaced on X, Asif was quoted as saying: 'I put them (protesters) in the same category as India and consider them also as enemies like India.'

The remarks have intensified scrutiny of Islamabad's posture, with critics arguing that framing civilian demonstrators as national enemies effectively justifies the use of lethal force against them. Notably, this comes as the HRC — a domestic body — is itself calling for accountability, underscoring the depth of concern within Pakistan over the state's response.

Constitutional and International Law Context

The HRC underlined that under both Pakistan's Constitution and international human rights principles, peaceful protest, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly are fundamental rights that 'must be respected in all circumstances.' The invocation of international human rights law alongside constitutional provisions signals that the body views the situation as potentially crossing established legal thresholds.

PoK has seen periodic unrest over decades, but the scale of the current violence — and the rare, public rebuke from a domestic rights institution — marks a significant escalation in internal scrutiny of Islamabad's governance of the territory. With media access tightly controlled, social media footage has become the primary window into events on the ground, raising further questions about accountability and independent oversight.