The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has alleged a systematic pattern of Pakistani police brutality in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), documenting arbitrary arrests, unlawful night raids, intimidation, and violations of fundamental rights as the region's unrest — which has already left dozens dead — continues to escalate. The allegations, surfacing on 9 July 2026, have drawn urgent calls for international scrutiny of the human rights situation in the territory.

A Doctor's Account of a Midnight Raid

Among the most disturbing testimonies is that of Dr. Masood Khalid, a resident of PoK and a medical doctor, whose account was shared in a video by JAAC. Dr. Khalid described how, on the midnight of 7 July 2026, at approximately 12:30 AM, a group of 35 to 40 individuals in police uniform — most with their faces covered by masks — scaled the walls of his home while he slept alongside his wife and three children.

'After this video gets shared, I'm certain that they will kill me. My name is Dr. Masood Khalid, and I'm the victim of police brutality,' he said, speaking in what witnesses described as a visibly distressed state.

According to Dr. Khalid's account, the personnel woke him and immediately began assaulting him — slapping, punching, and striking him with wooden rods. 'I was only asking that I'm a medical doctor; what had I done?' he said. He alleged he was then dragged out and placed in the back of a pickup truck, where the beatings continued, accompanied by verbal abuse targeting his deceased parents.

Alleged Destruction of Property and Threats to Family

Dr. Khalid identified two officials he claimed were unmasked during the raid: Mehtab Aslam and Zohaib Shah. He specifically alleged that Zohaib Shah destroyed furniture, a solar power system, and his children's toys inside the house, physically pushed his wife, and pointed firearms at her and the children.

'They had pointed their guns at us. They were pointing their guns at my wife and my children... We don't know what we had done to deserve this,' he said, his voice breaking. Dr. Khalid stated that he, his wife, and his children are now in a state of severe psychological trauma. He urged Pakistani authorities and international justice agencies to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable.

JAAC's Broader Allegations

The JAAC, which has been at the forefront of the ongoing civil unrest in PoK, stated that such incidents are not isolated. The committee alleged that excessive use of force, arbitrary detentions, and intimidation have become 'increasingly widespread' across the region, leaving 'countless families traumatised' and raising serious questions about the rule of law in the territory.

'Independent scrutiny, accountability, and justice are urgently needed. Those responsible for human rights violations must be held accountable in accordance with the law. No citizen should live in fear of those entrusted with upholding the law. Justice delayed is justice denied,' the JAAC said in a statement.

International Community Urged to Act

The JAAC has formally called on international human rights organisations and the broader global community to urgently monitor, investigate, and respond to the deteriorating situation in PoK. The committee's appeal comes as the unrest in the region shows no signs of abating, with the death toll from the ongoing turmoil already running into dozens, according to available reports.

This is not the first time allegations of heavy-handed policing have emerged from PoK during periods of civil unrest, but the level of documented specificity — named officers, timestamped incidents, and video testimony — marks a notable escalation in the evidentiary record being assembled by civil society groups. Whether Pakistani authorities or any international body takes up the JAAC's demands for an independent probe will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.