Srinagar, August 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Human rights activist and Association of Terror Victims of Kashmir (ATVK) Chairperson Tasleema Akhter has criticised Pakistan over the ongoing unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), alleging suppression of dissent, human rights violations and excessive use of force against protesters.
Addressing the media in Srinagar, Akhter alleged that people in PoK were being denied their basic rights and called upon Pakistani authorities to address public grievances instead of using force.
“They have created graveyards stretching from Rawalakot to Mirpur. And look at the elections taking place in Muzaffarabad — they are neither transparent nor fair. For God’s sake, let your people live. For God’s sake, acknowledge the rights they are demanding; they are asking for their due rights, not begging for charity. It is their own land; they have a right to it,” she said.
Akhter accused the Pakistani government of adopting a dictatorial approach while claiming to support freedom and democracy.
“You are a dictatorship government, and you speak about freedom. You are a bloodthirsty government. The whole world is watching how you are spilling people’s blood. Protests are being held against this government because the truth is now out. The dictatorship has been exposed. Listen to their demands and give them what they want,” she said.
Comparing governance in India and Pakistan, Akhter said democratic institutions in India respond to public concerns.
“In our locality there were protests, but it was commendable that our government heard us. Recently, our Union Education Minister resigned in the interests of the youth. Pakistan should learn how a government should function. Pakistan can never be compared with India,” she added.
PoK has witnessed widespread protests in recent weeks, with demonstrators alleging excessive force by Pakistani authorities. Reports have claimed that the unrest, which began on June 5, has intensified into one of the major confrontations between local residents and the Pakistani state in recent decades.
Protesters have alleged that security forces carried out a crackdown resulting in more than 50 deaths and injuries to hundreds of people. These claims have not been independently verified.
Earlier on Monday, the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) shared a video on social media platform X, claiming it showed Pakistani security personnel assaulting an unarmed civilian on a road in Muzaffarabad.
The organisation appealed to the United Nations, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, international media organisations and diplomatic missions to examine the footage, independently verify the facts and seek an impartial investigation into the reported incidents.
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