UN Human Rights Council Flags Crackdown in Pakistan-occupied J&K Over Rights Concerns

During the ongoing 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, alarming concerns emerged regarding the crackdown on peaceful protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Kashmiri activist Javad Ahmad Beigh, during an oral intervention, underscored the suppression of democratic rights alongside what he termed excessive use of force by the Pakistani authorities. He specifically referred to the tragic killing of Anzar Javed Bhatti, a mathematics teacher, who was shot on October 1, 2025, in Muzaffarabad while participating in a non-violent civic demonstration.

Beigh’s statement noted that Bhatti’s death has become emblematic of the threats faced by civilians engaged in lawful and democratic expression. The protest, which was organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee—a coalition of various professional groups and civil society organizations—focused on a 38-point charter addressing pressing socio-economic concerns. These included demands for access to education and healthcare, equitable electricity tariffs despite local hydropower production, infrastructural improvements, and fair food subsidy distributions.

Emphasizing the legitimacy of these demands, Beigh asserted they align with fundamental human rights standards. However, he criticized the response from authorities, citing it as disproportionate and excessively militarized. Reports indicate that over 2,000 police personnel from Punjab, supplemented by 167 platoons of the Federal Constabulary, were deployed, effectively turning the area into a heavily militarized zone. The intervention further claimed that the utilization of live ammunition during the protest led to at least nine civilian fatalities and numerous injuries.

Beigh highlighted that such actions reflect Pakistan’s failure to uphold its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This includes critical aspects such as the right to life, protection from inhumane or degrading treatment, freedom of expression, and the right to peaceful assembly. He further argued that the violent crackdown illustrates a worrying trend where peaceful demonstrations are met with militarized responses, with a notable lack of accountability for state actions.

Calling for increased international scrutiny, Beigh urged the Human Rights Council to take decisive notice of the circumstances in PoJK and to confront what he described as a culture of impunity. He expressed that continued inaction could embolden further human rights violations and undermine global human rights principles. Beigh’s appeal extended to the international community, urging them to closely monitor the human rights situation in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir to ensure that fundamental liberties are preserved in accordance with international law.

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