Pakistani security forces have opened fire on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), killing at least 11–12 people and injuring more than 70 others, according to reports, as a sweeping crackdown targets demonstrators demanding an end to decades of economic neglect, political disenfranchisement, and resource exploitation. Protests have erupted across Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Neelum, and several other areas, with internet services suspended across the region.

What Sparked the Protests

The demonstrations, led by platforms including the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), have centred on demands for cheaper essential commodities — including wheat and electricity — the removal of reserved seats allocated to outsiders, an end to elite privileges, and basic political rights. Protesters argue that PoK residents face severe poverty, unemployment, and underdevelopment despite the region's considerable strategic and natural wealth.

According to reports, Pakistan extracts resources from the region — including through projects such as the Mangla Dam and the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project — while local communities see little return. The political structure of PoK, reports indicate, is managed by the Pakistani military and bureaucracy rather than locally elected representatives.

Scale of the Crackdown

Pakistani forces reportedly responded with tear gas, water cannons, live ammunition, and mass arrests. Protesters have claimed that the actual casualty count is higher than officially acknowledged, alleging that a communications blackout — enforced through internet suspension — is obscuring the full scale of the violence. Dozens are reportedly detained.

This is not an isolated episode. According to reports, similar protests in 2025 over inflation and governance failures were met with lethal force, leaving multiple people dead in Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, and surrounding districts. Reports note that Pakistani authorities have labelled legitimate grievances as 'terrorism' and deployed troops from Punjab to impose curfews.

Human Rights Commission Raises Alarm

On Tuesday, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed concern over the escalating confrontation and the loss of lives on both sides. The HRCP called for an immediate de-escalation and an impartial investigation into all deaths and injuries.

In a statement shared on X, the HRCP said: 'We urge an immediate de-escalation of tensions and an impartial investigation into all deaths and injuries. The state must remember that proscribing popular movements invariably risks narrowing democratic space. Demands for constitutional change should be pursued through peaceful, representative and democratic processes rather than confrontation and violence.'

The Broader Pattern

Reports characterise Islamabad's actions in PoK as an effort to preserve control through coercion rather than legitimate governance. Protesters have consistently demanded self-rule, accountability, and an end to what they describe as the plundering of regional resources — demands that, according to reports, have been met with repression rather than dialogue.

As the death toll reportedly rises and the communications blackout persists, international attention on the situation in PoK is likely to intensify, with rights groups calling for independent verification of the casualty figures and conditions on the ground.