ISLAMABAD: Police and local authorities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have now begun targeting women as they continue their brutal crackdown on civilians in the occupied region demanding basic rights. Several videos went viral on social media Thursday showing women protesters running desperately to save their lives as local police unleashed terror and opened fire on a peaceful protest rally in PoK's Kotli.
The women protesters had gathered in large numbers and were shouting slogans against the brutality of Pakistani forces in Rawalakot and Mirpur when policemen started firing.
"We have come out to support our brothers. We want to tell them we are with them. We are ready to take a stand with them. Those who are firing at us, I want to tell you, we are not scared of anything," said a woman.
The shocking crackdown by Pakistani security forces on protesters in PoK over the past three days has resulted in death of over 40 people till now and injured dozens. Analysts reckon that the number of locals who have lost their lives since the protests began could have crossed 125 or more.
Citing reports, the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) on Wednesday said that around 40 civilians were killed, while several others were injured and arbitrarily arrested between July 27 and 28 in Rawalakot, Mirpur, and other areas of the occupied territory.
Expressing grave concern, the group alleged that more than 100 people have been killed since June 5, several hundred have been critically injured, and hundreds have reportedly been subjected to enforced disappearance by the Pakistani security forces.
Condemning the atrocities by Pakistani forces, the UKPNP said that the “use of excessive or unlawful force against peaceful civilians would constitute serious violations of international human rights law and may amount to crimes under international law.”
The group called on the UN, the European Union and the wider international community to take immediate steps to “help protect civilians, support impartial and independent investigations into the reported incidents, and encourage respect for international human rights obligations."
Over the past three days, several videos were posted on social media handles, including that of the Joint Awami Action Committee, showing the brutality of Pakistani forces.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has defended Islamabad's brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters in PoK, saying he considers the demonstrators as "enemies like India".
"I put them (protesters) in the same category as India and consider them also as enemies like India," Asif said in a video that has surfaced on social media platform X.
