India has strongly condemned the brutality of Pakistani forces on innocent civilians in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), where thousands of people are out on the streets to protest over various demands, including jobs and reservations.
During the weekly press briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Pakistan must be held accountable for its horrific human rights violations in PoJK.
“We have seen reports on protests in several areas of Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, including brutalities by Pakistani forces on innocent civilians. We believe that it is a natural consequence of Pakistan’s oppressive approach and systemic plundering of resources from these territories, which remain under its forcible and illegal occupation. Pakistan must be held accountable for its horrific human rights violations,” Jaiswal stated.
The Indian reaction came amid reports of firing on peaceful protesters in Muzaffarabad. Several people are feared killed in the firing by security forces during the protest.
Leader of Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKAAC), Shaukar Nawaz Mir, said that they were holding a peaceful protest when “facilitators of institutions” arrived with weapons and opened fire in the presence of police and local administration.
“This was a peaceful lockdown call by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Public Action Committee. All the citizens of Muzaffarabad were peacefully recording their protest on Neelum Bridge when a few people, some facilitators of institutions, arrived with institutional weapons in the presence of the administration and police, and opened direct fire on our venue. We have evidence of this,” he said.
At least one youth was killed and more than 20 others were injured in the firing. “We will not forgive this murder under any circumstances,” he added.
Faisal Jamil Kashmiri, another JKAAC leader, said that the protests have been growing because promises made to the people of PoJK have not been fulfilled.
“The issue of the 25 percent quota for Jammu and Kashmir, which has been in place since 1947, is also a key reason. With an unemployment rate of 64 percent, our youth are protesting to demand that this quota system be completely abolished,” he said.
Meanwhile, thousands of people attended the funeral of those killed during the protests in PoJK.