‘Hollow exercise to hide killings’: India condemns Pakistan’s brutal PoK crackdown

India on Tuesday, August 4, described the ongoing local body elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as a “complete farce”, stating that such exercises cannot conceal the ground reality of public protests and killings by Pakistani forces.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Pakistani establishment has responded to widespread discontent with “bullets, blackouts, intimidation and repression” and is now attempting to create a facade of legitimacy through the polls.

“This so-called local election in PoK is a complete farce. The real happening is that of public protests and wanton killings by Pakistani forces. Such hollow exercises cannot hide reality,” Jaiswal said at a regular media briefing.

He stated that at least 90 civilians have lost their lives in the continuing crackdown since June this year. Jaiswal further said Pakistan “must be held accountable” and that the world should see through the “flimsy veneer” of Islamabad’s “hypocritical lecturing on human rights”.

PoK has witnessed large-scale protests since last month. The demonstrations have been driven by inflated living costs, alleged administrative apathy, political discrimination and reported atrocities against minorities. The protests are being led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and have continued even as the local body elections are underway.

Late last month, Pakistani security forces used lethal force against JAAC protesters during a long march from Rawalakote to Muzaffarabad. That crackdown reportedly resulted in the deaths of 40 civilians and left more than 33 protesters injured.

The JAAC has formally approached the United Nations Human Rights Council and international human rights organisations, seeking an immediate and independent investigation into what it has termed “unlawful killings”.

Jaiswal’s remarks came in response to a question on the elections in PoK.