UN slams Pakistan over crackdown in PoJK, urges calm ahead of July 27 polls
Geneva, July 17
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has voiced serious concern over the escalating unrest in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for July 27, urging Pakistani authorities to exercise restraint, protect fundamental rights, and ensure accountability for reported violence.
In a press release, Turk appealed for calm as tensions continue to rise across the region. According to the UN, dozens of people, including protesters and law enforcement personnel, have reportedly been killed since June during demonstrations linked to growing political unrest ahead of the elections.
The High Commissioner called for prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into all reported deaths, stressing that those responsible must be held accountable regardless of whether the victims were protesters or members of the security forces.
Turk also expressed concern over Pakistan's decision to ban the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), the organisation leading the protest movement, under anti-terrorism laws. The JKAAC, which includes traders, transporters, students, lawyers and civil society activists, was outlawed on allegations of threatening public order and security, while several of its leaders were subsequently arrested.
The UN warned that criminalising a civil society movement and imposing sweeping restrictions on public gatherings raise serious concerns about violations of the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
Calling for adherence to international human rights standards, the High Commissioner said detained JKJAAC leaders must be granted immediate access to legal counsel and their families. He emphasised that their rights to due process and a fair trial must be fully respected.
He also criticised restrictions on internet access imposed across parts of the territory, saying communication blackouts disproportionately undermine the right to freedom of expression, including the ability to seek, receive and share information during a period of heightened tensions. The UN urged authorities to restore full internet connectivity throughout the region.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I'm glad the UN is calling out Pakistan's human rights abuses, but where was this concern when they were doing the same thing for years? 🤔 The crackdown on peaceful protesters, internet shutdowns, banning political organizations - this is textbook authoritarian behavior. PoJK residents deserve basic democratic rights, not this farce of an election.
The human cost is what breaks my heart. Dozens killed, families destroyed, and for what? So Pakistan can pretend to have democratic elections in a region they occupy illegally. The JKJAAC being banned under anti-terror laws is ridiculous - they're just traders, students, lawyers demanding basic rights. Pakistan should learn from India how to handle J&K with dignity and development.
UN ki awaaz to aayi, lekin ab dekhte hain action kya aata hai! Pakistan has always played games with international bodies - they'll promise reforms and then go back to their old ways. The internet shutdown is particularly disturbing - how can you have free and fair elections when people can't even access information? PoJK is a pressure cooker waiting to explode. 💥
As an outsider looking in, this seems like a classic case of an occupying power cracking down on dissent. The UN's call for impartial investigations is important, but I wonder if Pakistan will actually comply. The fact that they've banned a civil society movement under anti-terror laws is very concerning. India has legitimate claims over this territory, and these events only strengthen that position.
The situation in PoJK is heartbreaking. Civil society activists
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