New Delhi, August 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said the international community should be concerned about alleged atrocities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the use of the region for cross-border terrorism, while reiterating India’s position on Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the remarks during a weekly media briefing while responding to a question about a meeting between Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad on Thursday.
A joint statement issued after the meeting said the two ministers discussed regional issues, including Kashmir.
“The whole of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of India. The issues that should concern the international community are the atrocities currently being perpetrated in the illegal Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the use of PoK for cross-border terrorism,” Jaiswal said.
PoK has witnessed a prolonged confrontation between sections of the local population and Pakistani authorities, with protests focusing initially on electricity prices and the cost of essential commodities before expanding to demands for political reforms, greater accountability and representative governance.
The protests have also been accompanied by reports of deadly violence, internet disruptions and allegations of police brutality.
Videos circulated on social media, including material shared by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), have purportedly shown clashes and alleged use of force by Pakistani security personnel during protests in the region.
Some videos have also shown women protesters fleeing during a protest rally in Kotli after police allegedly opened fire.
JAAC member Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri has claimed that more than 50 people were killed and hundreds injured during what he described as a crackdown by Pakistani forces in PoK.
Thousands of people participated in rallies across parts of PoK on Thursday, expressing support for the JAAC and protesting against the violence they allege has been carried out by Pakistani forces over recent months.
The MEA’s remarks came amid renewed international attention to references to Kashmir in diplomatic engagements involving Pakistan.
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