HRCP voices concern over Rawalakot unrest, urges dialogue

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed concern over the situation in Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and has urged the federal and AJK governments to resolve public grievances through meaningful dialogue and prevent further loss of life.

In a statement shared on X, the rights body also called for the media to be given unhindered access to the area to report freely on developments.

The commission said its fact-finding mission had raised concerns over the situation during a visit to AJK in early August.

“As raised in our fact-finding mission to AJK earlier in August, we reiterate that the federal and AJK governments must prevent the situation from deteriorating further and immediately begin a meaningful dialogue to address citizens’ concerns. The media must also be given unhindered access to report from the region independently. The priority must be to prevent any loss of life and resolve the situation through political dialogue rather than by force,” the statement said.

The latest developments follow months of protests in AJK over inflation, rising electricity tariffs, unemployment and the lack of basic facilities.

The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) launched a movement over the issues in early June and had planned to begin a long march towards Muzaffarabad on June 9. However, following a series of violent incidents, the AJK government declared the committee as proscribed on June 5.

Several of its leaders were subsequently detained, while a number of members also announced that they were disassociating themselves from the organisation.

State television reported on Thursday that law enforcement agencies carried out an early morning operation against protest sit-ins that had continued in Rawalakot for several months. According to the report, authorities cleared protesters from the city’s bus terminal.

Law enforcement agencies had also carried out a clearance operation in Bagh district on Wednesday, ending a sit-in at Kothian, state television said.

Following the Rawalakot operation, the administration imposed Section 144 in the city. The order prohibited gatherings of five or more people at any location, as well as public meetings, processions, rallies and protests.

HRCP called on authorities to prioritise dialogue as tensions continued and also urged that journalists be allowed unrestricted access to the area for independent reporting.