Pakistan Crackdown in Kashmir Leaves Dozens Dead and Region Paralyzed

The Government of Pakistan executed a violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir from June 8 to 16, 2026, resulting in at least 32 civilian deaths, including a woman. The unrest began following a June 5 decision to designate the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) as a proscribed terrorist organization. The JAAC had organized strikes to demand structural reforms, lower electricity bills, and the abolition of 12 reserved legislative seats for refugees, a move the Supreme Court of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir ruled unconstitutional on June 7.

To subdue the protests, the Pakistani military deployed 26,000 personnel, using live ammunition and snipers. Authorities imposed a territory-wide shutdown starting June 5, characterized by a twelve-day internet and mobile network blackout, road blockades, and the arrest of over 500 people, including journalist Sohrab Barkat. These measures paralyzed commercial hubs like Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot, halting banking and fuel supplies while obstructing the delivery of food and medicine.

International backlash has intensified, with the Kashmiri diaspora protesting at the United Nations and outside Pakistani embassies in London and Brussels. Human rights organizations and UK Member of Parliament Bob Blackman have condemned the use of force and the communication blackout. While regional police chief Liaqat Ali Malik reported four officers killed and 20 civilian deaths between June 6 and 14, rights groups like the International Human Rights Foundation maintain the civilian toll exceeds 32, including the alleged extrajudicial killing of activist Shahzeb Habib.