The renowned British global publication The Independent has revealed in an influential investigative report that, following deaths, enforced disappearances, and unlawful detentions during elections and public protests in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, numerous affected families are still seeking accountability and justice for the killings and disappearances of their loved ones.
According to The Independent report, the sister of Fahad Barkat—a resident of Rawalakot—spent over two months hoping her brother was in police custody and would soon return home. Fahad had gone to the military hospital in Rawalakot to donate blood after last making contact at 11:31 PM on June 7; he never returned. News of his death subsequently emerged, prompting a local human rights organization (JKHRO) to demand an impartial, transparent investigation and the public release of the hospital’s blood donor log, CCTV footage, and the post-mortem report.
According to the report, the Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Organization (JKHRO) has documented that, in the context of local and general elections, at least 90 individuals in the region have lost their lives in incidents involving severe state violence and firing since June 2026. The report states that heavy-handed measures—including curfews, prolonged internet shutdowns, and the detention of political leaders and journalists under the ‘Fourth Schedule’—were employed to suppress the civil resistance movement organized by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JK-JAAC) over issues such as inflation, wheat subsidies, and fundamental rights.
‘The Independent’ noted in its report that when it sought a response from the Azad Kashmir government, the Ministry of Interior, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the police regarding these serious allegations—including extrajudicial killings and human rights violations—no transparent reply was provided by the authorities. The report warns that the continued, mysterious silence maintained by the government and security agencies on this matter is completely eroding public trust and further deepening the crisis in the region.
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