Islamabad: At least 14 was killed and several others injured during violent clashes on Monday on the polling day of the first phase of elections for the so-called legislative assembly in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). "Imtiaz Aslam, core member, Joint Awami Action Committee, said, "Pakistan terrorist forces fired upon our innocent youth today; as a result, 14 of our young men were killed. I make an earnest appeal to overseas Kashmiris: you must stage protests outside Pakistani embassies, human rights organisations worldwide, and the UN...," ANI quoted an eyewitness as saying.
India has maintained that Pakistan has been in illegal possession of the Indian Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
"Our party worker, Mukhtar Yunus, was killed and two others injured during incidents of firing by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidates," the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said in a statement.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed his grief over the death. "Where are the relevant authorities? What is the Election Commission doing?" he asked.
PoK election violence
The elections, originally scheduled for July 27, are being held in three phases from July 27 to August 10. There are 53 seats in the so-called assembly of PoK - 45 are directly elected, while eight seats are reserved for women, technocrats and clerics. Both the PPP and PML-N accused each other of rigging in multiple constituencies.
The electoral process was also briefly interrupted at some polling stations following scuffles and heated exchanges between supporters of rival political parties.
ALSO READ: PoK Tensions Boil Over As JAAC Kicks Off Long March After Pakistan Talks Collapse
While Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has boycotted the polls, the Joint Awami Action Committee has been banned. According to Khan's party, over 100 people were killed during violent clashes in PoK following last month's JAAC protests that paralysed life in the region for some 50 days.
The JAAC's main demand was the abolition of the 12 refugee seats. The government, however, refused to accept its demand. Dozens of people, including security men, were killed in the violence, following which the government last month banned the JAAC.
India described the protests in PoK as a "direct consequence" of Islamabad's decades-long "systemic exploitation and administrative oppression" in areas under its "forcible" occupation and criticised reported police brutality on the protesters.
'Rawalakot filled with dead bodies, blood of Kashmiris'
Protesters unequivocally denounced indiscriminate firing by Pak forces on demonstrators in Rawalakot as thousands of people prepared to march towards Muzaffarabad following the collapse of talks between the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and the authorities.
The claims emerged as the region witnessed escalating tensions during the 52-day-long protest movement, with demonstrators demanding the release of detainees, withdrawal of cases against protesters, and acceptance of their broader demands.
Describing the situation in Rawalakot, prominent social media influencer Aqeel Bhai, who said he witnessed the violence firsthand, appealed to the international community and media to draw attention to the developments. He said that the scale of casualties had overwhelmed protesters and emergency responders.
"Friends, the situation has become dire. Rawalakot is filled with dead bodies and the wounded. For God's sake, stand with us right now; please, stand with us. I have just barely escaped with my life. I no longer care about my own survival. After seeing so many brothers martyred. I have come here to plead with you with folded hands. Please have some conscience; to all the international media watching--please support us. We are peaceful people. Countless dead bodies, countless wounded. Our shoulders are exhausted from carrying the bodies," Aqeel Bhai said in a video message.
He further described what he said was one of the most distressing moments he witnessed during the violence.
"A brother came and wrung out his handkerchief, and what dripped from it was the blood of Kashmiris, brother! It was the blood of Kashmiris! That is the situation here. I have come here after witnessing people dying--being martyred--right before my eyes. The situation has become terrible; it has become truly dire," he said.
(With inputs from agency)
You may also like to watch