New Delhi: Violence and political unrest have intensified in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as the first phase of the region's assembly elections took place, with reports of casualties and widespread protests dominating the political landscape.
According to the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), the death toll from the ongoing crackdown has risen to 67 civilians.
The group claims that at least 14 of its activists were killed on Monday alone, while more than 28 others sustained injuries during the first phase of polling.
One of the deadliest incidents was reported from Mirpur, where gunfire erupted in a crowded marketplace. Witnesses described scenes of panic as people ran for safety, while ambulances rushed the injured to nearby hospitals.
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Videos circulating on social media appear to show emergency responders evacuating wounded protesters, although the circumstances surrounding the incident have not been independently verified.
The latest escalation follows JAAC's long march toward Muzaffarabad. The protests were sparked after Pakistani authorities banned the civil society organization.
Earlier, on June 9, thousands of JAAC supporters began a sit-in at Rawalakot's Edgar Ground, presenting a 38-point charter of demands. Among them was the abolition of 12 reserved seats in the legislative assembly, which protesters allege are dominated by representatives backed by Pakistan.
Critics accuse Islamabad of responding to the demonstrations with force instead of dialogue, while supporters of the government maintain that security measures are necessary to preserve law and order.
The unrest has also drawn political attention beyond Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Former Pakistani diplomat to the United Nations questioned why the Pakistani leadership expressed condolences over international tragedies while remaining silent on those reportedly killed during the crackdown in PoK.
Meanwhile, the Government of India has dismissed the ongoing elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as a "cosmetic electoral exercise," alleging that the polls are intended to conceal what it describes as Pakistan's illegal occupation of the region and ongoing human rights violations.
Questions have also been raised over voter participation. Videos shared by JAAC and former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party purportedly show sparsely attended polling stations during the first phase of voting. These claims have not been independently verified.
Political pressure is also mounting elsewhere in Pakistan. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Aleema Khan, the sister of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, launched a campaign calling for his release.
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She urged authorities to end his solitary confinement and provide him with immediate medical care, adding to the growing political challenges facing Pakistan's military-backed establishment.
As unrest continues across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the developments have intensified scrutiny over the credibility of the electoral process and the government's handling of dissent.
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