UN seeks accountability over PoK protest crackdown

The UN has voiced concern over the crackdown on peaceful protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Its remarks sharpen calls for accountability and an impartial probe into protest-linked deaths.Image used for representational purposes onlyThe United Nations has expressed concern over the security situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, with a spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressing the need for accountability if people were harmed for taking part in peaceful protests.The remarks come amid months of unrest in the region over 12 contentious refugee seats and during elections to the so-called assembly, which began at the end of last month amid allegations of widespread rigging. The protests have led to a crackdown by security forces, while activist groups and Pakistan's government have given sharply differing accounts of the death toll.Replying on Friday to a question by PTI, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General Farhan Haq said, "The Secretary-General supports the work of his High Commissioner, and we certainly hope that the pleas made by Mr Turk will be listened to." On whether there should be accountability from the authorities over the crackdown on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Haq said, "It's important that all authorities everywhere allow for peaceful protest, and certainly that is the case here." He added, "If there have been people harmed for engaging in peaceful protest, there needs to be accountability for that."UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk had on July 17 expressed concern over recent developments in the region and called for an impartial and thorough investigation into the deaths of protesters, Pakistan's ban on the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and the arrest of its leaders. A statement issued in Geneva last month said Turk had appealed for calm ahead of regional elections at the end of July. Turk's statement said dozens of people, mostly protesters but also law enforcement personnel, had reportedly been killed since June ahead of voting for the Legislative Assembly starting July 27. He called for prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into all deaths linked to the unrest, among both protesters and members of the security forces.The Pakistan-occupied Kashmir region has seen protests for several months over 12 contentious refugee seats. The JAAC, a collective of activist groups, has alleged that the establishment uses these seats to install a prime minister of its choosing to lead the so-called government in the region. According to the JAAC, more than 40 people were killed during the first phase of polling on July 27, and around 400 protesters have been killed since the first week of June. Pakistan's government has rejected both claims. The JAAC, which includes traders, transporters, students, lawyers, activists and others, has been banned under anti-terrorism laws for allegedly threatening public order and security. There are 53 seats in the so-called legislative assembly, of which 45 are directly elected and eight are reserved for women, technocrats and clerics. Elections for the 45 seats are being held in three phases, with the first phase on July 27 and the second on August 2 marred by violent protests.The Shehbaz Sharif government has described the JAAC's claim of more than 400 deaths since early June as "overly exaggerated". Prime Minister's adviser Rana Sanaullah said in a recent TV statement, "The number of the people killed in protests is in two digits. Moreover, security personnel have also lost their lives."India maintains that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are its integral and inalienable parts, and says Pakistan is in illegal and forcible occupation of parts of these territories. On August 4, India described the so-called local body elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as a "complete farce". In New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "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."The latest comments from the UN add to international attention on the unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where protests, election-related tensions, competing claims over deaths and calls for impartial investigations have kept the focus on the region's worsening security situation.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 8, 2026 16:24 IST