Unrest in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir Claims Multiple Lives
ISLAMABAD (AP) — At least seven individuals, including four security personnel, lost their lives in clashes between followers of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and security forces in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, officials reported Monday.
The violence erupted on Sunday following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Pakistan-administered Kashmir regarding the constitutional protection of 12 legislative seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees residing in Pakistan. These seats, intended to represent those displaced from Indian-controlled Kashmir, are constitutionally safeguarded and can only be abolished through an amendment.
The court’s decision preceded a planned JAAC protest for Tuesday. The regional government had outlawed the JAAC the previous week, citing public order and security concerns, and had detained numerous supporters. Formed in 2023, the JAAC advocates for increased political rights for the Kashmiri people and the removal of the refugee seats, arguing they hold disproportionate sway. The group is known for violent demonstrations.
According to police reports, three of those killed in Sunday’s unrest were JAAC supporters. A video surfaced on Monday showing individuals “desecrating the body of a policeman” who was killed when armed group members allegedly opened fire on officers in Rawalakot, a city in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Regional police stated that armed supporters fired upon security forces in Rawalakot and later besieged the Combined Military Hospital, causing disruptions in medical services. Authorities claim the situation was eventually brought under control, with hospital functions and daily activities across major highways, markets, and commercial centers returning to normal by Monday.
Police have accused protesters of setting fires and causing damage to both government and private properties. Legal proceedings are reportedly in progress against those involved in the disturbances.
On Monday, senior government, police, and military officials attended funeral prayers for the deceased security personnel.
Tensions have been mounting in the region for several weeks, escalating after the court addressed a presidential request for constitutional guidance on the refugee seats and the upcoming elections for the 45-member Legislative Assembly. The court asserted that the 12 refugee seats could not be removed via executive action and that any amendment would necessitate approval by the Legislative Assembly.
The current assembly has completed its term, with elections set for the following month. The court emphasized that public order should not be compromised in the name of political protest, and elections must proceed within the constitutionally mandated timeline.
Historically, members of the proscribed group have been accused of targeting police and security forces. In similar incidents last year, several officers were abducted and tortured after being taken captive.
The regional government claims to have accepted 36 out of 38 demands from the JAAC during negotiations last year involving regional authorities and Pakistan’s federal government. The remaining demands, including the abolition of refugee seats and the cessation of benefits for government officials and ministers, require action by the Legislative Assembly due to constitutional limitations.
Kashmir, claimed in its entirety by both Pakistan and India, has been a contentious region since the countries’ independence from British rule in 1947, resulting in two wars. Last year, clashes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir led to multiple fatalities, including police officers.
