67 dead in Munir's deadly PoK crackdown, India slams 'cosmetic' elections

Even as the first phase of a farcical election unfolded in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the brutality of Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir's forces continued unabated. After a fresh escalation, the number of PoK civilians killed has reportedly reached 67. The visuals emerging from PoK tell a grim story.

Chaos unfolded at a busy marketplace in PoK's Mirpur as Munir's forces allegedly opened fire on civilians. At least five to six people were reportedly killed as locals scrambled to run for cover. The area echoed with the sound of gunshots, while smoke could be seen billowing from a nearby shop.

As much as Pakistan may try to downplay the killings, the ground reality remains stark. Visuals from the region showed ambulances carrying injured protesters to hospitals as the violence escalated.

According to the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), at least 14 of its activists were killed on Monday alone during the first phase of the so-called assembly polls in PoK. More than 28 others were also injured. The latest aggression by Pakistani forces came after the JAAC launched a long march towards Muzaffarabad. The protests were originally sparked after authorities imposed a ban on the civil society group. On June 9, thousands of JAAC supporters began a sit-in at Rawalakot's Eidgah Ground. The group put forward 38 demands, including the abolition of 12 seats in the so-called legislative assembly that it claims are dominated by Pakistanis. However, Islamabad has allegedly chosen the use of brute force instead of opting for negotiations.

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While Pakistan often makes tall claims about Kashmir, its alleged hypocrisy came under scrutiny following a social media post by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Sharif had expressed sympathy for the people of France over the devastating wildfires. Pakistan's former ambassador to the United Nations, Maleeha Lodhi, then raised a question over the lack of similar concern for those killed in PoK during the crackdown on protesters. In the past few weeks, PoK has echoed with slogans demanding freedom from Pakistan. Protesters have also accused the Pakistani government and military of being "illegal occupiers".

Meanwhile, India has dubbed the PoK election a "cosmetic" electoral exercise and linked the ongoing protests to Pakistan's alleged denial of fundamental rights to the people of the region. The credibility of the elections has also come under scrutiny. The JAAC and Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) released multiple videos purportedly showing empty polling booths across PoK.

The trouble for the Munir-led military establishment is not limited to PoK. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, incarcerated former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's sister, Aleema Khan, received a grand welcome as she launched a campaign demanding his release. She also demanded an end to his alleged solitary confinement and sought immediate medical care for the PTI founder, who has been in jail for nearly three years.

The developments raise a key question: With turmoil on the rise from Balochistan to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is the PoK election merely a pretence to divert attention from Munir's deadly crackdown? With allegations of massive rigging also rocking the first phase of the election, in which the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) reportedly won nine of the 13 seats, the embarrassment for Pakistan continues.