• Source:JND
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In a first reaction to the violence against protestors in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, India on Friday called out the brutalities by the Pakistani forces, emphasising a need to hold them accountable.

During a press briefing, Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said, "We have seen reports of protests across several areas of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including acts of brutality by Pakistani forces against innocent civilians. This is a natural consequence of Pakistan’s oppressive approach, and they must be held accountable."

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As many as 12 people have been killed by the Pakistani forces in the occupied Kashmri since the fresh wave of protests started. The protestors under the aegis of Awami Action Committeem, have been pushing for their demands under the 'Charter of Demands' for a long time.

The Joint Awami Action Committee has put forward multiple demands, including the abolition of 12 refugee seats, withdrawal of elite privileges, and implementation of a June 2019 High Court decision regarding agreements on power projects in PoJK.

In order to pacify the protestors, Pakistan's PM Shahbaz Sharif formed a delegation to start negotiations with the JAAC leaders.

The delegations, comprising federal ministers- Ahsan Iqbal, Amir Muqam, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Rana Sanaullah, and Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, along with PPP leaders Raja Pervez Ashraf and Qamar Zaman Kaira, and former PoJK president Sardar Masood Khan, has been dispatched to PoK.

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They were accompanied by the so-called PoJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq. As per Dawn, the negotiations began in the committee room of the Chief Secretary's office in the afternoon, with Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Raja Amjad Ali Khan and Anjum Zaman Awan from the Muzaffarabad division representing the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), which has been spearheading the rights movement in the territory.