Pakistani Security Forces Kill Over 50 Protesters in PoK

Pakistani security forces have killed more than 50 civilians and injured hundreds in a severe crackdown on protesters across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The unrest, which began on June 5, was triggered by inflation and soaring electricity and fuel tariffs, though it is rooted in deeper grievances regarding economic exploitation and political subordination. To suppress the movement, the Pakistani state implemented a continuous internet and cellular communication shutdown across the territory.

Violence intensified in Muzaffarabad, specifically in the Plate area, where security forces opened fire on civilians, killing three and injuring several others. These clashes occurred on August 2, leading many first-time voters to boycott the second phase of assembly polls. Protesters have responded with revolutionary slogans and calls for resistance after the military and local authorities failed to meet the demands of the Joint Awami Action Committee.

India's Ministry of External Affairs condemned the crackdown, stating that the establishment showed absolute disdain for innocent people. The US-based publication Jacobin described the region's autonomy as a sham, alleging that Islamabad manipulates elections to maintain a puppet government and denies residents meaningful control over their future.