UN Calls for Probe as Kashmir Unrest Death Toll Rises to 31
The UN human rights chief has called for an independent investigation into deadly clashes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where at least 31 people have been killed since June amid protests over reserved legislative seats and economic grievances.
The United Nations human rights chief has demanded an independent investigation into deadly unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. On Friday, Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, urged Islamabad to conduct “prompt, thorough and impartial investigations” into all civilian and security force deaths. At least 31 people have been killed in clashes since last month, ahead of regional elections scheduled for the end of July.
The unrest involves the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), an umbrella group of traders and activists. While the movement initially formed to protest rising food prices and utility tariffs, the current flashpoint centers on a legal dispute over legislative seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees. The JAAC demands the abolition of these seats, arguing they allow non-residents to influence local political outcomes.
UN officials expressed alarm over Pakistan’s decision to classify the JAAC as a proscribed “terrorist” organization under domestic anti-terrorism laws. The global body warned that using anti-terror mechanisms to criminalize peaceful assembly and enforce widespread internet blackouts raises serious concerns about freedom of association.
According to the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, the crisis reached a deadly new peak on July 14 during intense clashes in the Poonch division, where security forces attempted to clear roadblocks ahead of a planned JAAC “long march” to Muzaffarabad. The escalation resulted in nine deaths: seven civil activists and two law enforcement officers. Defending the state actions, Poonch Divisional Commissioner Waheed Khan told Reuters that protesters had blocked a security convoy and attacked officials, and that police and security officials responded in self-defense.
In New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in an official statement that the unrest was a “direct consequence of Pakistan’s decades-long systemic exploitation” of the region. Turk has appealed for immediate calm, pushing for “meaningful and inclusive political dialogue” over security-led measures to address deep-seated grievances regarding regional autonomy and inflation.
