At least 11 killed in clashes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir before planned rally

At least 11 people have been killed in clashes between police and supporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, officials said, a day before a planned rally over political rights and legislative representation. The violence broke out in Rawalakot on Sunday and prompted arrests, injuries and a security response in the Himalayan region. Authorities said the situation was brought under control after the crowd was dispersed.

Sponsored

Officials said the dead included four police officers, a passer-by and six protesters. Police chief Liaqat Malik said 23 security officials and 50 protesters were among the wounded, while 30 people were arrested. Sardar Waheed Khan, commissioner of the Poonch sector, said armed supporters of the group opened fire on security forces in Rawalakot and later surrounded the Combined Military Hospital, disrupting medical services.

Police also accused protesters of setting fires and damaging government and private property. The unrest followed a Supreme Court ruling in Pakistan-administered Kashmir that 12 legislative seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan are constitutionally protected and cannot be abolished without a constitutional amendment. That decision came before a rally planned for Tuesday by the outlawed Joint Awami Action Committee, which has long demanded greater political rights for people in the region and the abolition of the refugee seats.

The group has organised large protests in recent years, some of which have turned violent. The latest clashes underline the sensitivity of political representation in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, a region that remains a flashpoint with neighbouring India. The dispute over reserved refugee seats has become part of a wider argument over who should shape local politics and how power is distributed in the territory.

Sponsored

The violence also raises questions about the ability of the authorities to contain unrest while managing a legal and political dispute that has already drawn large crowds in the past. On Friday, the regional government designated the Joint Awami Action Committee as a proscribed group under an anti-terror law. Officials also advised domestic and foreign tourists to leave the region, indicating concern that the situation could worsen.

The committee's leaders have continued to call for mobilisation, and Shaukat Nawaz Mir said in a video message that the group would remain united for the June 9 rally. What happens next will depend on whether the planned rally goes ahead and whether further arrests or restrictions are imposed. It is not yet clear whether the death toll will rise or whether the wounded include more people in critical condition.

The extent of damage to property and the longer-term impact on political activity in the region also remain unclear.

#PakistanadministeredKashmir #Rawalakot #JointAwamiActionCommittee #SupremeCourt #clashes

Sponsored