At least 11 people have been killed and more than 70 injured after violent clashes between police and protesters in Azad Kashmir, as tensions grow over the political representation of Kashmiri refugees ahead of regional elections next month.
The violence erupted on Sunday in Rawalakot, a city in the Poonch district of Azad Kashmir, after a dispute over 12 seats reserved in the region’s legislative assembly for refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir who now live elsewhere in Pakistan.
According to local authorities, four police officers and a civilian were killed after protesters allegedly opened fire on security personnel. Officials said six protesters also died during the confrontation, while dozens from both sides were injured.
The unrest came just days before a planned protest organised by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a grassroots alliance of traders and civil society groups which was recently banned by the regional government under anti-terror legislation.
Refugee representation controversy
The dispute centres on 12 seats in Azad Kashmir’s 45-member legislative assembly that are reserved for refugees who migrated from Indian-administered Kashmir to Pakistan following the partition of the subcontinent in 1947.
These seats have existed in various forms for decades and are protected under the region’s constitutional framework.
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Supporters of JAAC argue that only people who currently live in Azad Kashmir should have the right to elect representatives and influence local politics.
The group has demanded the abolition of the reserved seats, saying they give disproportionate political influence to people who do not reside in the territory.
However, a ruling by the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday stated that the seats are constitutionally protected and cannot be abolished without a constitutional amendment.
The court’s decision further inflamed tensions after weeks of failed negotiations between JAAC leaders and government representatives.
Authorities accuse JAAC supporters of attacking police with firearms and petrol bombs during Sunday’s clashes. Officials also claimed protesters damaged public property and disrupted services at a military hospital.
Poonch Commissioner Sardar Waheed Khan rejected allegations that security forces had deliberately targeted protesters.
“The state’s action was meant to restore law and order,” he said.
JAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir offered a very different account, accusing authorities of carrying out a “massacre” against protesters.
“The state has begun a massacre of our people in Rawalakot,” Mir said in a video statement.
The regional government banned JAAC last week, accusing the organisation of activities that threaten public order and security. The group denies the allegations and says it is campaigning peacefully for political and economic reforms.
The current unrest reflects broader frustrations that have been building in Azad Kashmir for several years. JAAC first emerged as a major protest movement in 2023, mobilising residents against rising electricity costs, shortages of subsidised wheat and allegations of government corruption.
In 2025, the group published a 38-point charter of demands calling for economic relief measures, welfare reforms, accountability for public officials and greater political representation for local residents.
Analysts say the latest crisis highlights a deeper debate over governance and autonomy in Azad Kashmir, where local institutions operate under a semi-autonomous system but key areas such as defence and foreign affairs remain under the control of Islamabad.
The region is scheduled to hold legislative elections on July 27. With tensions continuing to rise, authorities have deployed additional security forces and imposed restrictions on movement in several areas ahead of further planned demonstrations.
