MUZAFFARABAD — At least nine people, including civilians and members of the security forces, were killed during violent clashes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Tuesday after authorities moved to clear road blockades erected by supporters of a banned protest group, according to Pakistani officials, while activists disputed the official account and accused security personnel of using excessive force.
The violence erupted in the Poonch and Rawalakot areas as security forces launched an operation to reopen roads that had been blocked for weeks by supporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), an organization outlawed under Pakistan's anti-terrorism laws in June. Officials said the blockades had disrupted transport and the movement of essential goods.
Poonch Divisional Commissioner Waheed Khan said six protesters and one police officer were killed in Tararkhal, while another protester and a security official died in Rawalakot. Authorities said the clashes began after protesters stopped a government convoy and attacked officials.
Supporters of the JAAC rejected the official version of events, alleging that security forces opened fire on demonstrators and civilians during the operation. Some local and Indian media outlets reported that six civilians were killed in Rawalakot, but those casualty figures and the circumstances surrounding the deaths could not be independently verified.
The JAAC has called for demonstrations against electoral arrangements reserving 12 seats in the regional legislative assembly for refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir. Protest leaders argue the arrangement dilutes the political representation of local residents, while authorities maintain the reserved seats are protected under the region's constitutional framework.
The unrest follows weeks of heightened tensions after the Supreme Court of Pakistan-administered Kashmir upheld the legality of the reserved seats. Authorities subsequently declared the JAAC a banned organization and increased security across the territory ahead of planned protest marches.
Pakistan-administered Kashmir, claimed in full by both Pakistan and India, has experienced recurring political unrest in recent months. Officials said additional security personnel had been deployed to prevent further violence, while protest organizers vowed to continue demonstrations despite the crackdown. No announcement of an independent investigation into Tuesday's fatalities had been made by late Tuesday.
