India calls out Pakistan on PoK human rights abuses, urges global accountability
Synopsis
India's foreign ministry has put the international community on notice: more than 90 people have been killed in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as Islamabad responds to civilian protests with bullets and blackouts. With diaspora groups now appealing to the UN Secretary-General and Balochistan marking its own independence day in defiance, Pakistan faces a rare convergence of domestic unrest and external diplomatic pressure — and New Delhi is making sure the world is watching.
Key Takeaways
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on 11 August called on the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for human rights violations in PoK .
More than 90 people have reportedly been killed in PoK amid protests over electricity prices and political reforms.
Pakistani authorities allegedly responded with internet blackouts , live fire, and police crackdowns on civilian protesters.
Videos shared by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) purportedly show security forces firing on a peaceful rally in Kotli, PoK . 'Americans of Kashmiri heritage' have reportedly appealed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres to intervene.
Balochistan observed its 79th Independence Day on the same day, with Baloch groups calling Pakistan's presence an 'illegal occupation.'
India on Tuesday, 11 August renewed its sharp condemnation of Pakistan over alleged human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and other parts of the country, calling on the international community to hold Islamabad accountable for what New Delhi described as flagrant abuses against its own people.
What India Said
Addressing a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that more than 90 people have been killed and several others injured in PoK as Pakistani authorities responded to public discontent with what he characterised as 'bullets, blackouts, oppression and repression.'
'We call upon the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for its misdeeds, for its abuses and for its flagrant violations of human rights,' Jaiswal said at the briefing.
Context: Balochistan and Broader Unrest
The remarks came on a day when Balochistan was observing its 79th Independence Day — an annual tradition that Baloch human rights groups say symbolises their defiance of what they describe as Pakistan's 'illegal occupation' of the region. When asked specifically about atrocities in Balochistan, Jaiswal broadened his response to cover the wider pattern of alleged abuses across Pakistan.
The PoK Crisis: Background and Escalation
PoK is currently witnessing what analysts describe as the most extensive confrontation between the local population and the Pakistani state in decades. Protests that initially erupted over rising prices of electricity and essential commodities have since evolved into a broader movement demanding political reforms, greater accountability, and representative governance.
Authorities have reportedly responded with internet shutdowns and allegations of police brutality, particularly around local elections. Several videos circulating on social media — including those shared by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) — purportedly show Pakistani forces opening fire on civilians. One widely shared clip reportedly showed women protesters fleeing as police fired on a peaceful rally in Kotli, PoK.
International Pressure Mounts
During the briefing, Jaiswal was also asked about a reported appeal by 'Americans of Kashmiri heritage' to UN Secretary-General António Guterres to intervene and halt the violence in PoK. The spokesperson acknowledged the global attention the crisis has attracted. 'This has made news across the world. There have been mass violations, grave violations of human rights and I think it is time that the international community take note of what is happening there and hold that country responsible for its atrocities,' he said.
What Comes Next
India's repeated invocation of PoK's human rights situation at official briefings signals a deliberate diplomatic strategy to internationalise the issue ahead of any future multilateral engagement. Whether global bodies respond with formal mechanisms remains to be seen, but the pressure from civil society groups — including diaspora communities in the United States — adds a new dimension to the international scrutiny on Pakistan.
Point of View
If independently verified, would represent one of the deadliest episodes of state-on-civilian violence in PoK in decades — yet it has received limited formal response from multilateral bodies. The diaspora appeal to the UN adds a civil-society layer that is harder for Geneva to ignore than a bilateral statement from New Delhi. The real question is whether India's diplomatic framing translates into concrete international scrutiny, or remains a rhetorical counterweight in the India-Pakistan information war.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What human rights violations is India accusing Pakistan of in PoK?
India's MEA has accused Pakistan of killing more than 90 people and injuring several others in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir while responding to civilian protests with live fire, internet blackouts, and police crackdowns. The protests began over rising electricity and commodity prices and escalated into demands for political reform.
Who is Randhir Jaiswal and what did he say?
Randhir Jaiswal is the spokesperson for India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). At a bi-weekly media briefing on 11 August, he called on the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for what he described as 'flagrant violations of human rights' in PoK and other parts of the country.
What is the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and what role has it played?
The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) is a civil society and political grouping in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir that has been at the forefront of the ongoing protests. Videos shared on its social media handles have reportedly documented Pakistani security forces using force against civilian demonstrators, including at a rally in Kotli.
Why is Balochistan's Independence Day significant in this context?
Balochistan observes an annual Independence Day that Baloch human rights groups use to assert their claim against what they call Pakistan's illegal occupation of the region. Its coincidence with India's PoK statement on 11 August allowed New Delhi to draw a broader picture of Pakistani state repression across multiple regions.
Has the United Nations been asked to intervene in PoK?
According to the MEA briefing, a group described as 'Americans of Kashmiri heritage' has reportedly appealed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres to intervene and stop the violence in PoK. No formal UN response has been reported as of the time of the briefing.
