Pakistan's ongoing crackdown on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has drawn sharp condemnation, with a detailed report arguing that Islamabad treats Kashmiris as political instruments rather than rights-bearing citizens. The repression, which reportedly began after demonstrations erupted on 5 June, has according to activists and local media claims left more than 100 people dead.

How the Protests Began

The demonstrations were led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which mobilised residents across PoJK around three core demands: an end to reserved legislative seats for non-resident 'refugees', a reduction in electricity tariffs, and broader economic relief. The protests drew large crowds in towns including Rawalakot, Mirpur, and Kotli.

In response, according to a report published by Stringer Asia, Pakistani security forces opened fire on demonstrators, imposed communication blackouts, and carried out what the report describes as mass repression across the territory.

What Pakistani Officials Said

The report highlights a statement by Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif that critics say lays bare Islamabad's posture. Asif reportedly declared: 'I put the protesters of PoJK in the same category as India and consider them as enemies.' The Stringer Asia report characterised this as 'occupation logic turned inward', arguing that the remark makes explicit that loyalty to the Pakistani state — not the protection of Kashmiri rights — is the operative condition for existence in PoJK.

Notably, Pakistan has for decades positioned itself internationally as the primary advocate of Kashmiri self-determination. Critics argue the response to the PoJK protests exposes a fundamental contradiction in that posture.

Ground Reality in PoJK

According to the Stringer Asia report, Pakistan's control over PoJK rests on a carefully managed narrative of autonomy, while real decision-making authority over security, foreign policy, and economic matters lies entirely with Islamabad and the Pakistani military. Institutions in PoJK, the report states, function as administrative extensions of the federal government rather than as genuinely representative bodies.

Several videos circulated on social media, including on handles associated with the JAAC, purportedly showed security forces using force against protesters. On one occasion, footage reportedly showed women demonstrators in Kotli fleeing as police opened fire on a peaceful rally. One woman protester was quoted as saying: 'We have come out to support our brothers. We want to tell them we are with them. We are ready to take a stand with them. Those who are firing at us, I want to tell you, we are not scared of anything.'

The Broader Pattern

The report frames the crackdown not as an isolated law-and-order failure but as the logical outcome of a political project that has consistently subordinated Kashmiri interests to Pakistani state priorities. This is not the first time PoJK has seen civil unrest over economic grievances — earlier rounds of protests over wheat subsidies and power tariffs in 2023 also drew a heavy-handed response from authorities.

As pressure mounts from activists and diaspora groups, the international community's response to the situation in PoJK will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.