India hits out at Pak over killing of PoK protesters

India on Friday denounced a crackdown by Pakistani authorities on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) that has claimed at least 10 lives and injured scores of people, and said the neighbouring country must be held accountable for "horrific human rights violations".

- Rezaul H Laskar

POK witnessed widespread protests and violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces late last month after the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which represents civil society groups and traders, demanded an end to "elite privileges" for government officials and ministers and the scrapping of 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees from J&K.

As people in PoK observed a complete shutdown to protest against the violence, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly media briefing that there were reports of protests in several areas of PoK and "brutalities by Pakistani forces on innocent civilians".