New Delhi, Sept. 13 -- Amid the ongoing trouble in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), which has claimed nearly 100 lives in the past one and a half months, evidence is now emerging that Pakistan's security forces have unleashed a new wave of terror by resorting to firing at mobs.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif repeated his controversial remarks, justifying Pakistan's ceaseless and ruthless crackdown on the protesters. More disturbing is his statement that he found the agitators to be the same as "enemies like India". Such an irresponsible and brazen remark came in the wake of renewed violence in the Rawalakot area of PoJK, where 32 protesters were killed in firing. The Defence Minister also posted his views on social media.
It may be recalled that most of those killed were activists connected with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), an outfit that Pakistan had banned for calling out human rights violations in the region. Videos showing the brutality of Pakistani forces as locals ran to save themselves are being prominently circulated, including footage of bodies lying strewn on the roads. The locals who were killed had come out on the roads to express their ire. Other areas affected by the violence include Mirpur, Sarsoha, Panjhera and Sehnsa.
On its part, Pakistan condemned, on July 27, the allegedly highly provocative and irresponsible comments by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, as reported in The Express Tribune. The allegation goes on to say that the statement distorts facts regarding the UN and the internationally "recognised" Jammu and Kashmir dispute that remains on the agenda of the UN Security Council and shows the Indian government's deliberate policy of threatening regional and international peace and security. This was articulated by Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi. However, such a statement falls short of any credibility.
Analysing the developments in PoJK, it is important to examine their background. First, the general election of 2026 is taking place under the overhang of violent protests organised by the now-defunct JAAC. Although the agitation is the fourth wave of such protests, it seems to be the most violent and severe. According to an article in Dawn dated July 26, fatalities among both civilians and law-enforcement personnel are just one aspect of the crisis. Although the JAAC has been declared unlawful under the anti-terrorism law and some of its leaders have been arrested, it is difficult to deny that the JAAC and its 30-point, people-centric and anti-elite charter of demands drew a large segment of the young PoJK population, particularly its Gen-Z component.
Second, the election is being conducted in the absence of two of the most popular groups. The defunct JAAC is not among the registered political parties of PoJK and is, therefore, not contesting. Some leaders and members tried to submit their nomination papers as independent candidates, but these were not accepted on one pretext or another. The other entity not contesting is the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has decided to boycott the election as it sees no prospect of a free and fair election. In the PoJK elections of 2021, the PTI had secured the largest share, 31.4 per cent, of the votes and formed the government. Following the PTI's ouster, many PTI legislators in PoJK joined other parties. Consequently, the PTI government was ousted from PoJK as well. The absence of these two popular forces will likely impact the legitimacy and representative character of the Legislative Assembly.
Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on July 27 that the PoJK Legislative Assembly elections were among the most significant in the region's political history, stressing that only a free, fair and transparent electoral process could produce a credible government capable of addressing the challenges faced by the people. Addressing a party gathering during first-phase polling in Mirpur Division, Bilawal expressed confidence in his party's candidates. Bilawal described the elections as a defining democratic exercise and said that an election of such importance should leave no room for controversy.
Further, Bilawal said his party had repeatedly expressed concerns regarding the handling of refugee seats and questioned the decision to hold the polls in three phases. He also criticised the sequence in which the phases were scheduled, saying such decisions had generated doubts about the fairness of the electoral process. Bilawal also highlighted what he described as a growing disconnect between PoJK's youth and the political system, stressing that political challenges could only be resolved through dialogue, democratic engagement and meaningful debate. This statement merits a closer look.
PoJK is already showing signs of a high degree of volatility and uncertainty. The local population seems restive and directionless. Any wrong or provocative move by the Pakistani security or political establishment may incur the wrath of the local population, and things may then spiral out of control.
Views expressed are personal. The writer is a retired IPS officer, Adviser NatStrat
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.