Nine Killed in July 14 Clashes as Death Toll From JAAC Unrest Continues to Rise in PaJK

MUZAFFARABAD: At least nine people were killed on Tuesday, July 14, in fresh clashes between security forces and supporters of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Pakistan-administered Jammu Kashmir, marking another deadly day in the continuing unrest across the region.

According to Reuters, the July 14 clashes left seven protesters and two security personnel dead. The violence was reported in Tararkhal and Rawalakot, where security forces were deployed ahead of a planned protest march linked to the JAAC movement. Reuters reported that six protesters and one police officer were killed in Tararkhal, while one protester and one security official were killed in Rawalakot.

The clashes came a day before the JAAC’s planned march, announced as part of its continuing campaign against disputed electoral arrangements, particularly the 12 legislative assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees residing elsewhere in Pakistan. Protesters argue that these seats undermine local political representation in Pakistan-administered Jammu Kashmir.

Authorities said the violence began after protesters blocked a convoy and attacked officials in the Poonch sector. JAAC-linked voices and local residents, however, have accused security forces of using excessive force against demonstrators. The exact sequence of events remains contested.

The latest deaths add to a rising toll from weeks of unrest that began in June. Reuters reported on June 19 that at least 24 people had been killed in two weeks of protests, including 20 civilians and four police officers, while more than 500 people had been detained.

In its July 14 report, Reuters cited local sources as saying that around 30 people had died in related unrest since June. Local activists and JAAC-linked figures, however, have placed the total death toll higher, saying more than 45 people have been killed since the beginning of the sit-ins, protests and clashes across Pakistan-administered Jammu Kashmir. This higher figure has not yet been independently verified through an official consolidated casualty list.

The JAAC movement initially emerged around demands related to electricity tariffs, subsidised wheat flour and the cost of living, but later expanded into a broader campaign over governance, political representation, constitutional questions and public accountability.

The PaJK government declared the JAAC a banned organisation under anti-terrorism laws in June. The committee has rejected the ban and maintains that it is a public rights movement. AP reported that the authorities launched operations to reopen roads blocked by JAAC supporters, while the group has continued to oppose the reserved refugee seats in the regional Legislative Assembly.

Earlier in June, Reuters reported that clashes ahead of a JAAC-called protest killed 11 people and injured more than 70, as police and paramilitary forces attempted to disperse protesters from the banned civil society alliance. Dawn also reported that at least seven civilians were killed in Rawalakot during clashes between police and newly proscribed JAAC protesters, while four law enforcement personnel were also killed.

Human rights organisations have raised concerns over the handling of the unrest. Amnesty International criticised the authorities’ response, citing reports of internet shutdowns, mass arrests and deadly use of force during the crackdown on the protest movement.

As of Tuesday, no comprehensive official casualty list covering the entire period of unrest had been released. This has made independent verification of the total number of deaths and detentions difficult, especially amid communication restrictions, road closures and limited access to several affected areas.

The July 14 killings have further intensified anger across Pakistan-administered Jammu Kashmir and renewed calls from rights defenders, civil society groups and local residents for restraint, medical access for the injured, production of detainees before courts and an independent investigation into the use of force against civilians.

Tensions remain high across Poonch Division and other parts of the region as the JAAC movement continues to press its demands.