11 killed, several injured after clashes erupt in PoK against Pakistan government
The unrest began when supporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) gathered outside a hospital morgue where the body of a fellow activist had been taken following an earlier shooting incident.
PTC News Desk: At least 11 people were killed and more than 70 others injured in violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Rawalakot ahead of a region-wide shutdown scheduled for June 9, according to Reuters.
The unrest began when supporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) gathered outside a hospital morgue where the body of a fellow activist had been taken following an earlier shooting incident. Security forces reportedly moved to disperse demonstrators linked to the JAAC, which was declared a banned organisation by the regional administration last week under anti-terrorism laws.
According to Sardar Waheed Khan, commissioner of the Poonch sector, four police officers and a passerby were killed during the violence.
“Four police officers and a passerby died after miscreants opened fire on them,” Khan told Reuters. He added that six protesters were killed in the subsequent response by law enforcement personnel.
Police chief Liaqat Malik said 23 security personnel and around 50 protesters were injured, while authorities confirmed that several people had been arrested during the operation. However, local residents and JAAC supporters disputed the official figures, claiming the civilian death toll may be higher.
Why are people protesting?
The latest wave of protests was sparked by a decision to reserve 12 seats in the 45-member legislative assembly for refugees living outside Kashmir but elsewhere in Pakistan. The JAAC argues that the move weakens local representation and has demanded that the reserved-seat arrangement be withdrawn.
The alliance has also voiced concerns over rising inflation, electricity shortages, unemployment, governance issues and what it describes as the political marginalisation of the region. Over the past two years, the group has organised large-scale demonstrations against increasing flour and electricity prices, several of which have also ended in confrontations with security forces.