By Asian Marxist Review (AMR)
Lahore based Joint Action Committee for People’s Rights (JAC), a coalition of 37 human rights organisations, defenders, and civil society collectives in Pakistan, has strongly condemned what it describes as the indiscriminate and unlawful use of force against peaceful protesters in Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
In a press statement issued from Lahore on 28 July, the coalition expressed shock over the deadly crackdown, which took place during the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir legislative elections. According to JAC, the violence followed nearly two months of heightened restrictions in the region, including an internet shutdown and widespread arrests, raising serious concerns about the democratic environment in which the elections are being conducted.
The coalition argued that the violence could have been avoided had the authorities not banned the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), the organisation leading the ongoing protest movement. Instead of engaging with the grievances raised by the people of Jammu Kashmir through dialogue, the government chose to outlaw what JAC described as a legitimate popular platform. According to the coalition, this decision contributed to the escalation that has reportedly claimed dozens of lives.
JAC called on the Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation by allowing peaceful protests and lifting the ban on JAAC to facilitate the resumption of negotiations. It also demanded that those responsible for the reported indiscriminate use of force against demonstrators be identified and held accountable.
The statement adds to a growing number of interventions by human rights organisations, trade unions, student groups, and progressive movements expressing concern over the escalating violence in Jammu Kashmir. Many have called for the protection of democratic freedoms, an end to the use of force against peaceful protesters, and a political resolution to the crisis through dialogue rather than repression.
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