Muzaffarabad, Nov. 14 -- Amnesty International has urged the newly formed government of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) to take immediate steps to protect fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and personal liberty, expressing concern over restrictions on civil society groups and the recent crackdown on protesters in the region.

In an open letter dated November 13, addressed to newly elected Prime Minister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani, Amnesty International called upon the regional government and relevant Pakistani authorities to ensure that human rights are respected across the territory. The organisation raised concerns over what it described as swift and systematic measures taken by ...