NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Tuesday slammed Pakistan for its ongoing crackdown on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, calling upon the international community to hold the country accountable for the “gross violation of human rights.“During the bi-weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that public discontent in PoK was answered with bullets and blackouts.“We would like to highlight the human rights violations being committed in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and other parts of the country. We call upon the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for its misdeeds, abuses and gross violations of human rights, including against its own people,” Jaiswal said.“Over the last several months, we have seen large-scale protests in PoK, including during and before the elections. Public discontent was answered with bullets, blackouts, repression and oppression. More than 90 people have been killed and many more injured. This has made news across the world,” he added.The remarks came as at least 90 people, including protesters, security personnel and bystanders, were killed in clashes during June and July.The banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has been staging protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) since June over the contentious 12 refugee seats. It has alleged that Pakistan’s establishment manipulates these seats to install a prime minister of its choice to lead the so-called PoK government.Meanwhile, the third phase of elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was held on Monday in four constituencies, amid violence and allegations of rigging. Polling started in Poonch Division’s Bagh and Haveli districts at 8 am, while elections in seven constituencies have been indefinitely postponed.Clashes between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers were reported in some areas as the region’s election commission classified most of the 803 polling stations as “sensitive or highly sensitive”.
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After the first and second phases of polling, which were marred by violent protests and were held on July 27 and August 2, respectively, voting was scheduled for Monday in 11 constituencies of the Poonch Division in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. There are 53 seats in the so-called PoK Legislative Assembly – 45 are directly elected, while eight are reserved for women, technocrats and clerics.The second phase of polling on August 2 was marred by violence and allegations of rigging. One person was killed and several others were injured.The phase also included voting for the 12 refugee seats, which are at the centre of the ongoing controversy.Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) swept the second phase, winning 16 seats, while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secured the remaining five. In the first phase on July 27, PML-N won nine of the 13 seats, while PPP won four. With the first two phases combined, PML-N has already secured 24 seats.
