By Riffat Kausar
International News Correspondent
Scandinavian News (Finland)
Rawalakot Long March Deaths Spark Dispute Over Toll
Anger over the Rawalakot Long March deaths is deepening as protest leaders and Pakistani officials clash over what actually happened when security forces confronted demonstrators in Azad Jammu and Kashmir earlier this week.
The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) says its marchers came under direct fire as they pushed toward Rawalakot on Monday, with the group putting the death toll at 21 a figure it describes as among the highest single-day counts of the months-long unrest in the region.
The toll remains contested and unconfirmed by independent media. While JAAC leaders and residents put the number at 20 to 21 dead, police in Azad Jammu and Kashmir did not confirm the figure.
Arab News separately reported that the weeks-long JAAC-led protest movement has left about 30 people dead in total, without specifying a single-day breakdown. A widely shared eyewitness account put Monday’s toll lower, at 14.
What Triggered the Violence
The bloodshed followed the breakdown of talks between JAAC and government officials, who had been given a roughly 1 p.m.
Monday deadline to accept the group’s demands, including the release of detained activists and withdrawal of criminal cases against protesters.
When no agreement was reached, thousands of protesters gathered in Rawalakot and set off on a long march toward the regional capital, Muzaffarabad.
Police and JAAC blame each other for starting the violence: officials say demonstrators opened fire while trying to force their way into Rawalakot, while the group maintains its march was peaceful.
According to JAAC’s account, security forces first used heavy shelling to try to stop the march before opening direct fire on protesters as they advanced toward the city.
Among the dead, organisers say, was Usman Nazir, brother of senior JAAC leader Umar Nazir Kashmiri, whose death became a rallying point for the movement.
Communications Blackout Hampers Verification
JAAC representatives said internet and mobile services had been suspended in the area, making communication difficult.
The restrictions have made it nearly impossible for journalists and rights monitors to independently confirm casualty figures on the ground, a gap that has fuelled competing narratives from both sides.
JAAC, a civil society group focused originally on economic and governance reforms before shifting to demands including the release of detainees and abolition of reserved assembly seats for refugees, was banned under anti-terrorism laws last month.
Key facts:
- Death toll disputed: JAAC/organisers cite 20–21 killed Monday; police have not confirmed; other reports cite figures as low as 14 for Monday and roughly 30 across the wider protest movement.
- Violence erupted as thousands attempted a long march from Rawalakot toward Muzaffarabad after JAAC–government talks collapsed.
- Internet and mobile blackout in the area is obstructing independent verification.
- JAAC was banned under anti-terrorism law last month but continues to organise protests.
- Violence coincided with the first phase of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s general election.
FAQs:
How many people were killed in the Rawalakot violence?
Figures are disputed. JAAC organisers say 20–21 died Monday; other accounts range from 14 to about 30 over the broader protest period. Police have not confirmed a number.
Who is JAAC?
The Joint Awami Action Committee is a civil society group in Azad Jammu and Kashmir that has led weeks of protests over governance issues, detained activists, and assembly-seat reforms. It was banned under anti-terrorism law last month.
Why is the death toll hard to verify?
Authorities have imposed an internet and mobile blackout in the area, and independent journalists have limited access, making outside verification difficult.
What sparked the march toward Muzaffarabad?
The march began after negotiations between JAAC and government officials failed to meet a deadline for accepting the group’s demands.
Has the Pakistani government responded to the allegations?
As of this report, authorities have not issued an official statement confirming or disputing the casualty figures.
Election Timing Adds to Tensions
The violence coincided with the first phase of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s general election in Mirpur division, where preliminary results showed the Pakistan Muslim League-N winning nine of 13 constituencies.
Polling itself was marred by scuffles and mutual accusations of rigging between the PML-N and PPP
As of this report, Pakistani authorities have not issued an official casualty count for the Rawalakot violence, and the situation remains fluid.
JAAC-led Azad Kashmir protests and detention
About The Author
