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Pakistan minister defends deadly crackdown on PoK protests
NDTV··29 Jul
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said he considers protesters in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir as enemies in the same category as India, in remarks that went viral on social media. The comments came amid fresh violence in the Rawalakot area, where Pakistani forces have killed at least 32 protesters over the past two days, according to reports and social media videos.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Anyone following developments in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir gets a clearer picture of how the government there is framing the unrest.
- The remarks add context for observers tracking India-Pakistan relations, since a senior minister publicly equated domestic protesters with a neighbouring country.
- People following human rights reporting in the region get documented statements to weigh against video evidence circulating online.
What's Happening
- Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said he considers Pakistan Occupied Kashmir protesters as enemies in the same category as India.
- The comments came amid fresh violence in Rawalakot, where Pakistani forces have killed at least 32 protesters over two days.
- Videos circulating on social media show security personnel firing on civilians in Mirpur city and loading bodies into vehicles.
A Banned Group Behind The Protests
- Unrest in the region has claimed over 90 lives since June 5, according to figures cited in the reporting.
- Most of those killed were linked to the Joint Awami Action Committee, an organisation Islamabad has banned for highlighting human rights violations.
- The group has accused Pakistani media of misrepresenting its activities, saying it is defending land it says is forcibly occupied.
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