Pakistan-administered Kashmir protests kill 24, region shut down

Deadly protests by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) have paralysed Pakistan‑administered Kashmir, with at least 24 people killed, including four police officers, and dozens more wounded. The unrest began ahead of a June 9 strike against the reservation of 12 legislative assembly seats for refugees from Indian‑administered Kashmir, a key issue in the upcoming July 27 elections.

Authorities responded with a territory‑wide shutdown: major roads were blocked, the internet and satellite services were cut, and a food and fuel blockade was imposed. Over 1,400 people have been detained, including 515 reported by police, and 97 officers were wounded. The shutdown has crippled commerce, closed banks, ATMs and petrol stations, and created severe shortages of medicines and food, pushing many low‑income residents into hardship.

The crackdown has drawn condemnation from human‑rights groups and India’s foreign ministry, while Kashmiri diaspora groups in the United Kingdom have staged protests accusing Pakistan’s military of suppressing dissent. The crisis underscores the political controversy over the reserved seats and threatens Islamabad’s control ahead of the elections.