"Pakistan must be held accountable," the MEA declared in the midst of PoK protests

India has urged the world community to hold Pakistan responsible for its "horrific human rights violations" in the region in response to the increasing protests and turmoil in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Randhir Jaiswal, the Ministry of External Affairs' spokesperson, stated in his weekly media briefing that the action in Pok is a direct result of Pakistan's repressive tactics and systematic looting of resources from these areas.

Reports of protests in several parts of Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir have surfaced, along with incidents of violence committed by Pakistani forces against defenseless civilians. We think it is a logical result of Pakistan's repressive policies and systematic resource looting from these areas, which are still under its unlawful and violent control. Pakistan's heinous human rights abuses must be held accountable, the MEA spokesperson declared Thursday.

Massive protests and instability have dominated Pakistan-occupied Kashmir for the past week. There were calls for a wheel-jam and shutter-down protest in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir regions of Rawalakot, Mirpur, Kotli, and Neelum Valley. In the biggest protest Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has witnessed in years, thousands of people took to the streets. The Awami Action Committee (AAC) spearheaded the demonstrations against the government of Shehbaz Sharif.