Pakistan: Protests continue in Azad Kashmir despite repression and internet blackout

Pakistan: Protests continue in Azad Kashmir despite repression and internet blackout Harshly repressed protests that have shaken Pakistan-administered Kashmir since early June have continued through local legislative elections held in July and August. With internet access cut off and access by foreign media restricted, local residents are attempting to report on the situation on the ground. To contact us, Usman*, a resident of Rawalakot, a city in the Pakistan-administered part of the disputed Kashmir region, has to climb into the nearby mountains, where he can pick up a few bars of mobile signal from outside the province. This article was reported by the FRANCE 24 Observers, the network’s digital investigation team in Paris, via social media. No other FRANCE 24 staff contributed to the report. *We have concealed the identity of people we spoke to inside Pakistan to protect them from reporting restrictions imposed by the Pakistani government. Azad and Jammu Kashmir (AJK), an autonomous territory under Pakistani administration since the partition of Kashmir between India and Pakistan in 1947, has been gripped by widespread protests since June. The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) – a local opposition movement founded in 2023 – is leading the mobilisation and is calling, among other things, for electoral reform, greater political representation and more resources for the territory. After several rounds of protests that led to government concessions, dialogue broke down in the run-up to local legislative elections, held between July 27 and August 10. On June 5, the Azad Kashmir authorities designated the JAAC as a terrorist movement, and clashes subsequently intensified, particularly on June 7 and 8 in Rawalakot, following the death of activist Shahzeb Habib, who human rights groups say was killed by security forces. The Pakistani government imposed an internet shutdown, on June 5, and restrictions on the supply of essential goods. Since then, protests have continued, some of which have been violently suppressed, notably in Rawalakot on July 27. The Pakistani government denies that security forces have used force to repress peaceful political activity in the territory and says internet access is being "progressively normalised". [see statement below]. 'They tried to kill the protesters by opening fire directly at them' Usman* was present at the July 27 protest in Rawalakot. We began a march on July 27 towards Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir. Security forces were stationed at various locations. They had set up roadblocks and were using snipers, light machine guns, and tear gas grenades. It wasn’t just the police, but also Pakistani paramilitary forces. When they realised that the crowd was much larger than expected, they tried to kill the protesters by opening fire directly at them. This is the first time I’ve witnessed such repression in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Before this, we had never witnessed such bloodshed or such brutal attacks by the security forces. To display this content from Instagram, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. 'After two days, more than 30 people had been killed in a very confined area' The Jammu Kashmir Human Rights Observatory (JKHRO) is a UK-based organisation that seeks to verify information coming from Azad Kashmir. One of its members, who wished to remain anonymous to protect his family in the territory, describes the situation in Rawalakot following the events of July 27: “After two days, more than 30 people had been killed in a very confined area. As the entire city had been sealed off by the security forces, it was impossible even for ambulances to reach the hospital. The injured had to travel more than 60 kilometres to receive treatment at a hospital in another city.” To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Protests also broke out in other cities across Azad Kashmir to denounce the violence carried out by the security forces in Rawalakot. They were also violently suppressed, leaving at least three people dead in Mirpur on July 28 and four dead in Muzaffarabad between July 31 and August 2, according to JKHRO. To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. In its latest report, published on August 5, the JKHRO stated that 89 people had been killed during the protests since June 5. However, the organisation believes that the death toll could rise further. The authorities in Azad Kashmir, for their part, have yet to release any figures. Pakistani government denies use of force by security forces In a statement to FRANCE 24, the ministry of information in Islamabad said: "The government categorically rejects the suggestion that security forces used force to repress peaceful political activity in Azad Jammu and Kashmir." The ministry accused the JAAC of promoting "anarchy and violence" and said the AJK authorities had evidence of the JAAC using weapons and taking civilians and security personnel hostage. [see full statement] The AJK police on August 13 said the JAAC had "abducted" eight highway police officers. They did not immediately respond to a request asking for more information. The JAAC denies using violence, and supporters deny targeting police officers . Protests continue despite violence and internet outage Despite the danger, the protests continue. Numerous sit-ins are still being organised in Rawalakot, as shown by videos shared on social media. To display this content from Instagram, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Usman* participates regularly in these gatherings. He explains : “Thousands of people gather at the sit-ins every day. A specific time slot, from 2pm to 6pm, is set aside to allow the general public, particularly women, to attend the protests.” 'There is a blockade on medicines' Beyond the shootings, the internet shutdown and restrictions on the supply of essential goods coming from the rest of Pakistan are also having dramatic humanitarian consequences, as the JKHRO member we spoke to explains. “One of the major impacts has been the absence of banking services since June 5, due to the internet shutdown. There is also a blockade on medicines and other goods being transported to Kashmir from Pakistan. If you are sick and go to the hospital for a blood test, you may not be able to get your results because of the lack of internet or means of communication. Pregnant women, children, and people suffering from heart problems, diabetes, or chronic illnesses may therefore not be properly diagnosed. In addition, all schools are closed. This is therefore a catastrophe with multiple and far-reaching consequences.” In its statement to FRANCE 24, the information ministry said on August 27 the internet outages were being "progressively normalised" and were "limited to areas affected by violence and imposed only for the period considered necessary for public safety". 'A further tightening of restrictions on press freedom in the country' In addition to residents’ difficulties communicating with the outside world due to the internet shutdown, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting imposed the “Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026” on August 4 (full text here). A Pakistani digital rights activist explains the consequences of these directives : “Anyone working for foreign media outlets, even if they are a Pakistani citizen, must obtain a no-objection certificate issued by the government in order to report from outside the country’s three major cities [in Pakistan], which are Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. This is evidence of a further tightening of restrictions on press freedom in the country, where the government essentially decides who has access to information and under what condition.” On August 2, Al Jazeera’s website was blocked, with the information ministry accusing the network of “sensational journalism” following its coverage of events in Azad Kashmir. Meanwhile, two independent local journalists have been detained since August 1, after covering a protest held in the capital in support of the Kashmir protesters. Local journalists and even citizens who cover the protests on social media are facing significant pressure. Some of them have been included on a watch list of suspected terrorists by the government of Azad Kashmir. This means that their bank accounts, SIM cards and identity documents have been blocked. The Azad Kashmir election was supposed to have a final round of voting on August 10, but elections in seven constituencies, including Rawalakot, were postponed for security reasons. As of August 10, 38 of the 45 directly elected seats had been filled, with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) winning 25 seats, and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) winning 12 seats.