Amnesty International has raised serious alarm over what it describes as a brutal crackdown by Pakistani security forces on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), with multiple civilians reportedly killed and dozens injured in a sustained campaign of violence that includes alleged drone strikes on residential areas.

What Amnesty International Said

In a formal letter to Pakistani authorities, Amnesty International urged the government to conduct a “prompt, thorough, impartial, effective and transparent investigation” into the deaths and injuries of protesters, as well as the alleged unlawful use of lethal force by security personnel. The rights body cited reports that nearly 90 people were killed between June and July 2024 in PoK amid protests, with allegations that Pakistani forces used lethal force against peaceful demonstrators, particularly in the Rawalakot region.

Drone Strikes and Continued Violence Alleged

The letter cited further violence on 5 November, when reports emerged of three additional protesters being shot dead by security forces. Amnesty International said it had also received allegations that armed drones were deployed in residential areas of Rawalakot. The organisation cautioned, however, that “the exact number of these deaths and instances of use of force are unconfirmed given the communications blackout and restrictions on reporting by journalists in the region.”

JAAC Banned, Hundreds Proscribed

Amnesty International condemned the Pakistani government’s decision to ban the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) — a grassroots people’s movement in PoK — by proscribing it under the first schedule of Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act, 2014. The rights body called this a violation of the rights to association, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly. It has called on Islamabad to lift the blanket ban on JAAC immediately. Additionally, hundreds of individuals have reportedly been proscribed under the fourth schedule of the same law for their affiliation with JAAC or for exercising their right to free expression and peaceful assembly.

Journalists and Activists Detained

Journalists covering the protests in June and July have reportedly been added to official proscription lists, according to Amnesty International. The rights body said it has received reports of arbitrary detention of hundreds of protesters, activists, and JAAC members. Some individuals have been held under administrative detention or charged under anti-terrorism legislation, while the whereabouts of others remain unknown.

UN Call for Probe Went Unheeded

Amnesty International noted that despite the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights having previously called for “prompt, thorough and impartial investigations” into all deaths that occurred during the unrest in PoK, “no investigation has taken place.” This comes amid broader international scrutiny of Pakistan’s governance record in the disputed territory, and further strains Islamabad’s position at a time when its human rights standing is already under pressure from multiple fronts. With the communications blackout in place and journalists restricted from reporting freely, independent verification of the full scale of casualties remains difficult.