Pak defence minister calls PoK protesters ‘enemies like India’ as dozens die in firing

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has triggered fresh controversy after defending Islamabad's violent crackdown on protesters in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), declaring that he considers the demonstrators "enemies like India".

His remarks came as violence intensified in the Rawalakot region, where activists alleged that Pakistani security forces killed at least 32 protesters over the past two days.

In a video widely circulated on X, Asif said he viewed protesters in "Azad Kashmir" — the term used by Pakistan for the territory under its control — as no different from India.

"I put the protesters of Azad Kashmir in the same category as India and consider them also as enemies like India," the defence minister said.

The statement has drawn criticism as tensions continue to mount in the region over allegations of human rights abuses and the suppression of dissent.

Fresh violence amid prolonged unrest

The latest bloodshed comes against the backdrop of months of unrest in PoK, where activists claim more than 90 people have been killed since June 5.

Several videos circulating on social media purportedly showed Pakistani security personnel firing at civilians in Mirpur city before loading bodies into official vehicles. The authenticity of the videos could not be independently verified.

Also Read: ‘Rawalakot filled with dead bodies’: 14 killed in PoK poll clashes; India hits out at Pakistan

Most of those reported killed were said to be associated with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), an organisation banned by Pakistani authorities after it criticised alleged human rights violations in the region. Among those killed was Usman Nazir, the younger brother of JAAC founding member Umar Nazir.

Firing on peaceful demonstrators alleged

Videos shared by JAAC and other social media accounts showed bodies lying on roads, abandoned motorcycles, and panicked residents fleeing the area as gunfire rang out. According to the organisation, the victims had gathered to protest what they described as “systematic rights violations” by Islamabad.

In one post on X, the JAAC claimed that five more people had been killed in Mirpur while demonstrations spread to other towns across the region.

Also Read: Why are protests spreading across PoK after the Rawalakot crackdown?

"Rawalakot situation tense once again. Forces shelling and firing on peaceful public," the organisation alleged in another post.

The group further accused Pakistani police of specifically targeting young members of the Mirpur Awami Action Committee during the operation.

JAAC accuses Pakistan of occupation, media bias

As the violence escalated, the JAAC alleged that security forces continued firing on civilians participating in what it described as a peaceful protest caravan.

"The worst firing continues on the daily life caravan. We are picking up the bodies, but you will not be able to endure this hatred that you are sowing today," the organisation said in another social media post.

The committee also criticised sections of the Pakistani media for reporting that JAAC members had attempted to forcibly enter Rawalakot. Rejecting the allegation, it asserted that Rawalakot was their own city and accused Islamabad of illegally occupying the region while using force against unarmed civilians.

Also Read: Protests rage on in POK; agitators firm on demands despite govt crackdown, blockade

The latest violence and Asif's remarks are likely to intensify scrutiny of Pakistan's handling of the unrest in PoK, where rights groups have repeatedly alleged excessive use of force against protesters.

Pakistan has not publicly responded to the specific allegations made by the JAAC regarding the latest killings.