Anger is brewing across different parts of Jammu and Kashmir over the atrocities allegedly being committed by Pakistani security forces against unarmed residents of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
A day after separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq condemned the alleged brutalities against residents of PoJK, the Association of Terror Victims in Kashmir (ATVK) staged a protest outside the United Nations office in Srinagar on Thursday.
The association strongly condemned the killing of unarmed civilian protesters in PoJK, describing the reported use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrators as a grave violation of human rights and democratic freedoms.
After incidents of firing by forces on peaceful, unarmed civilians in POJK and resulting fatalities, reportedly women and children have also taken to the streets. pic.twitter.com/9iWVHvvzia
— Manu Khajuria (@KhajuriaManu) June 11, 2026
In a memorandum, ATVK chairperson Tasleema Akhter expressed deep concern over reports of civilian casualties and alleged human rights abuses in PoJK.
Several protesters assembled in front of the UN office in Srinagar.
“We strongly condemn the heinous killing of civilian protesters in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Reports of excessive force and human rights violations against peaceful protesters are deeply disturbing and unacceptable,” the protesters said.
They said such actions constitute a serious violation of fundamental human rights and called upon the international community, human rights organisations, and global institutions to take cognisance of the situation.
“An impartial assessment of the situation must be conducted, and those responsible for these violations should be held accountable,” Tasleema said.
She urged the United Nations to intervene and take appropriate measures to prevent what she termed barbaric killings and the excessive use of force against civilians in the region.
“We call upon the United Nations to take cognisance of these grave violations of human rights in PoJK and ensure that appropriate steps are taken to safeguard the fundamental rights, safety, and freedom of the people living there,” she added.
She further stressed that the suffering of innocent civilians must not be ignored and reiterated the demand for justice, accountability, and the protection of human dignity.
“The international community must act to uphold human rights and ensure that justice prevails for the affected civilians,” another protester said.
Farooq Asks UN to Investigate PoJK Situation
National Conference president and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah on Thursday urged the United Nations Human Rights Committee to investigate the situation in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), alleging that people there are facing hardships and that reports of civilian killings have emerged.
Speaking to media persons in Srinagar, Dr Abdullah appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Committee to visit PoJK, investigate the situation, and understand the difficulties people are facing in the region.
“The world should know what they are going through,” he said.
Protesters in PoJK have been calling for accountability, civil rights, and an end to the use of force against peaceful demonstrators by the Pakistani administration.
Thousands of people from various parts of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) gathered in Rawalakot and raised slogans against what they described as Pakistan’s continued occupation and policies in the region. The demonstrators on Wednesday demanded justice for civilians who were reportedly killed and injured in firing by Pakistani security forces during recent protests.
Amnesty International Slams Pakistan’s Actions
Amnesty International has strongly condemned Pakistan’s sweeping crackdown on protests in PoJK, accusing the authorities of using excessive force, suppressing dissent, and violating fundamental human rights ahead of upcoming regional elections.
Amnesty criticised the decision to designate the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) as a “proscribed organisation” under anti-terrorism legislation. It described the move as unlawful and disproportionate, arguing that it represents a serious attack on freedom of association and peaceful political activism.
The crackdown intensified after negotiations between the JKJAAC and the authorities reportedly collapsed over the composition of the region’s legislature.
According to Amnesty International, the authorities’ violent and sweeping crackdown on protests in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir — including an internet shutdown, mass arbitrary arrests, and the deadly use of force — reflects an alarming deterioration of human rights in the region.
On June 5, the region’s authorities issued a notification designating the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) as a “proscribed organisation” under the First Schedule of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Terrorism Act, 2014. The JKJAAC is a grassroots movement advocating for the economic and political rights of the people of Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir. The group had planned to go ahead with a rally despite a ban imposed by the authorities.
“Branding a grassroots organisation as ‘terrorist’ on vague grounds, while simultaneously cutting the region off from the outside world, raises serious concerns regarding the Pakistani authorities’ conduct and their disregard for human rights. The proscription of JKJAAC under anti-terror laws is disproportionate, unlawful, and a violation of the right to freedom of association,” said Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia.
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