HRCP Chief Asad Iqbal Butt Reveals Government’s Harsh Response to Protests in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir
Islamabad [Pakistan], July 2: The head of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Asad Iqbal Butt, has exposed the governments in Muzaffarabad and Islamabad for their harsh response to peaceful protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in May this year. The protests resulted in three deaths and 100 injuries during clashes between residents and Pakistani security forces in Muzaffarabad.
The six-day protests, which began on May 8, included sit-ins, shutter-downs, demonstrations, and wheel-jam strikes. The protesters demanded subsidized electricity and flour from the Government of Pakistan and the PoJK government.
In an interview with CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organizations and activists, HRCP Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt stated, “Shortly after the first verified reports of violence, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan launched a fact-finding mission. We found that the PoJK government had requested paramilitary and civilian forces from the Pakistani government ahead of the protests, indicating its intention to use force against protesters. Deployment of additional forces began on May 3, almost a week before the planned protests and long march.”
The involvement of the Pakistan Rangers, a federal paramilitary force, marked a significant escalation. Their entry into Muzaffarabad and alleged unauthorized use of force contributed to the violence. “The entry of the Rangers, their lack of coordination with local authorities, and the perception that they were deployed to violently suppress protests fueled the violence. Clashes in Muzaffarabad resulted in three protesters dead and many others injured. The situation escalated when the Rangers resorted to teargas shelling and firing,” Butt stated.
Key incidents during the protests included a police raid on May 10 on the residence of Shaukat Nawaz Mir, an elected traders’ leader, which resulted in arrests and clashes. On May 8, an assistant commissioner reportedly assaulted an older person in Dodyal, Mirpur. A crackdown on the JAAC leadership in Kotli, Mirpur, and Muzaffarabad further inflamed public anger, leading to retaliatory attacks on government officials and property.
Butt emphasized that the government must hold those responsible for excessive force against protesters accountable through an independent investigation to prevent future abuses. He also expressed concern over the use of paramilitary forces against PoJK citizens and called for it to stop.
The HRCP chief stressed that the local administration in PoJK should respect human rights, including the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, expression, and the right to life. He also called for sustainable economic relief measures, such as subsidies and price controls, to address immediate public needs.
Asad Butt recommended that the natural resources of PoJK should be managed by local authorities, and Pakistan’s earnings from the use of PoJK’s water and electricity should be shared equitably. He urged the international community to monitor potential human rights abuses in PoJK and press the Pakistani government to prevent their recurrence.
