India has called for international scrutiny of Pakistan’s actions in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, accusing Islamabad of using “ruthless force” against protesters and demanding accountability for civilian deaths during unrest linked to disputed regional elections.Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday that the crackdown reflected Pakistan’s disregard for the lives and political rights of people living in the territory. He urged the international community to examine the circumstances surrounding the violence and hold Islamabad responsible for its conduct.
New Delhi’s intervention followed several days of clashes between security personnel and protesters in parts of the region, including Rawalakot and Mirpur. Protest organisers have claimed that more than 30 people were killed, while other accounts have placed the civilian toll above 40. Restrictions on communications, travel and media access have made independent verification difficult.
Pakistani authorities have acknowledged at least three protester deaths in Mirpur. They have also reported the death of a paramilitary officer and injuries to five security personnel. Officials maintain that armed men infiltrated the demonstrations and fired at forces deployed to protect polling stations and government buildings.
The unrest has overshadowed elections for the regional legislative assembly, which were divided into three phases after officials cited security concerns. Voting began on July 27, with further rounds scheduled for August 2 and August 10.
Pakistan’s governing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz won nine of the 13 seats contested in the first phase across Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, founded by former prime minister Imran Khan, boycotted the process, alleging that conditions for a fair election did not exist.
The Joint Awami Action Committee, the main organisation behind the protests, has also rejected the electoral process. The regional government banned the group in June and arrested dozens of its supporters after demonstrations intensified over representation, governance and Islamabad’s influence in local affairs.
A central dispute concerns 12 seats in the 45-member directly elected assembly that are reserved for people officially classified as refugees from Jammu and Kashmir. Protest leaders argue that the arrangement allows politicians based outside the territory to determine the formation of the regional government. Pakistani authorities say the seats are constitutionally protected.
Jaiswal described the elections as lacking credibility and said public opposition represented a rejection of Pakistan’s political control over the territory. India maintains that the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and refers to the territory administered by Islamabad as Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The spokesperson also cited remarks by Rana Sanaullah, special assistant to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on political affairs, as evidence of Islamabad’s past support for militant groups.
Sanaullah, speaking during a television interview about the unrest, said some of those now challenging the Pakistani state were people who had previously been trained as mujahideen and sent to fight. Jaiswal said the comments amounted to an acknowledgement that militants had been trained, funded and armed by Pakistan for operations against India before turning their weapons against the Pakistani state.
“The very mujahideen that the Pakistani establishment trained, funded, armed and sent to bleed India have now turned their guns inwards,” Jaiswal said, describing the remarks as an admission of state-sponsored militancy.
Pakistan has not accepted India’s interpretation of Sanaullah’s comments. Islamabad has instead accused New Delhi of supporting unrest in the territory, an allegation India has rejected. Pakistani officials have said the security operation is directed against armed groups rather than peaceful demonstrators.
Regional government spokesperson Mohammad Rashid Hanif has alleged that militants associated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan joined the protest camps. Officials have displayed footage that they say shows masked gunmen firing from buildings and have claimed that weapons, including assault rifles, were recovered during arrests.
The Joint Awami Action Committee has denied official attempts to portray the movement as a militant campaign. Its supporters say the protests have been driven by demands for electoral reform, affordable electricity, improved public services and an end to political interference from Islamabad.
Discontent in the territory has built over several years. Demonstrations in 2022 focused on electricity prices, while larger protests in 2024 and 2025 demanded subsidised flour, lower power tariffs and the removal of privileges enjoyed by senior officials. Agreements reached after earlier protests failed to resolve broader arguments over political representation and regional autonomy.
