Human rights defender and Association of Terror Victims of Kashmir (ATVK) Chairperson Tasleema Akhter on 4 August strongly condemned Pakistan's handling of the ongoing unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), accusing Islamabad of suppressing dissent, violating fundamental rights, and deploying force against civilian protesters. Speaking in Srinagar, Akhter urged Pakistan to address the legitimate grievances of PoK residents rather than resort to violence.

Key Accusations Against Pakistan

Akhter alleged that Pakistani authorities had effectively turned PoK into a zone of repression, citing what she described as a trail of casualties from Rawalakot to Mirpur. She also questioned the credibility of elections in Muzaffarabad, calling them neither transparent nor fair.

'They have created graveyards stretching from Rawalakot to Mirpur. And look at the elections taking place in Muzaffarabad — they are neither transparent nor fair. For God's sake, let your people live. For God's sake, acknowledge the rights they are demanding; they are asking for their due rights, not begging for charity. It is their own land; they have a right to it,' she said.

Akhter further accused the Pakistani government of functioning as a dictatorship while publicly claiming to champion freedom. 'You are a dictatorship government, and you speak about freedom. You are a bloodthirsty government. The whole world is watching how you are spilling people's blood. Protests are being held against this government because the truth is now out. The dictatorship has been exposed. Listen to their demands and give them what they want,' she said.

Comparison With India's Democratic Governance

Drawing a pointed contrast with India, Akhter argued that democratic institutions in the country are responsive to public concerns. She cited the recent resignation of the Union Education Minister as an example of governmental accountability.

'In our locality there were protests, but it was commendable that our government heard us. Recently, our Union Education Minister resigned in the interests of the youth. Pakistan should learn how a government should function. Pakistan can never be compared with India,' she said.

Escalating Unrest in PoK

PoK has witnessed intensifying protests in recent weeks, with demonstrators alleging excessive use of force by Pakistani security personnel. According to reports, the region is currently experiencing one of its most extensive confrontations between the local population and the Pakistani state in decades. The protests reportedly began on 5 June and have continued to escalate.

Protesters allege that Pakistani security forces launched a severe crackdown in which more than 50 people have been killed and hundreds injured over the past several weeks, according to reports. NationPress could not independently verify these figures.

JKJAAC Calls for International Scrutiny

Earlier, the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) shared a video on X that it claimed showed Pakistani security personnel dragging and assaulting an unarmed civilian on a road in Muzaffarabad. The organisation called on the United Nations, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, international media organisations, and diplomatic missions to independently verify the footage and press for an immediate, impartial investigation into the reported incidents.

As international pressure mounts, the situation in PoK is likely to remain a flashpoint in the broader India-Pakistan discourse on human rights and self-determination.