‘Disproportionate use of force deepened polarisation in AJK’

'Disproportionate employ of force deepened polarisation in AJK'.

Key points

• Imran Gabol Published August 30, 2026 Updated August 30, 2026 10: 18am.
• The report concluded that the 2026 electoral process took place against the backdrop of unresolved political grievances, insecurity, communications restrictions and significant limitations on independent observation.
• Imran Gabol is a Lahore-based reporter for Dawn with over a decade of experience in journalism.
• The mission observed orderly voting at the polling stations it visited in Bagh.
• The ensuing unrest coincided with the AJK Legislative Assembly elections.

Imran Gabol Published August 30, 2026 Updated August 30, 2026 10: 18am. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has attributed the recent unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to longstanding political and socioeconomic grievances, institutional distrust and governance deficits, saying an increasingly confrontational state response, including the disproportionate employ of force, further deepened polarisation and eroded public trust.

Meanwhile, the HRCP fact-finding report, Civic Spaces under Strain in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, (a copy available with Dawn), stated that the dispute over implementation of a 2025 agreement with the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), coupled with controversy over 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees in Pakistan, had become central to the political confrontation.

After which the administration proscribed the organisation on June 5 under the AJK Anti-Terrorism Act 2014 and imposed restrictions on movement and communications, including a prolonged suspension of mobile internet services, the report remarked negotiations between the administration and JAAC failed on May 30. The ensuing unrest coincided with the AJK Legislative Assembly elections. It were eventually held in phases since of security worries.

In practice, the HRCP mission, which conducted fact-finding and election observation from Aug 8 to 10 after a stakeholder consultation in Islamabad on July 31, remarked it received sharply conflicting accounts concerning the scale of violence, JAAC's methods and the conduct of security forces. Nevertheless, it identified broad agreement among political and community stakeholders, including individuals critical of JAAC, that the underlying dispute should have been resolved through political dialogue rather than coercion.

HRCP fact-finding report calls for independent investigation into deaths, injuries during protests.

For context, the commission expressed particular concern at the allegations of lethal and excessive employ of force against protesters. It remarked the AJK police chief had noted around 38 security personnel killed and 742 police personnel injured since June but the HRCP mission additionally received multiple accounts from families, alleging that protesters had been killed or seriously injured by the security forces.

Meanwhile, the HRCP cautioned that it could not independently establish the full scale or circumstances of civilian casualties, particularly since it was unable to access Rawalakot, one of the main centres of violence. It therefore pressed an independent and impartial investigation into all deaths and serious injuries since June, including whether the apply of force was lawful, necessary and proportionate.

For context, the report additionally triggered concern at the government's apply of anti-terrorism and preventive-detention provisions against political activists. While a series of notifications issued between June and August reportedly brought the total number of political workers, journalists, residents and activists listed under anti-terrorism legislation to at least 157, it remarked at least 147 JAAC activists were initially placed on the Fourth Schedule.

Notably, the HRCP pressed authorities to ensure due process for everyone arrested in connection with the protests, including their production before courts, access to lawyers and information concerning the grounds for arrest. It pressed independent review of cases against protesters, activists, journalists and political workers, with cases withdrawn where individuals had been detained or prosecuted solely for peaceful political activity or lawful assembly.

It additionally criticised restrictions on journalism and access to information, saying journalists had faced arrests, legal action, restrictions on access to affected areas and special security requirements while the prolonged communications shutdown severely constrained independent reporting and verification of deaths, injuries, arrests and alleged electoral irregularities.

According to the report, journalists had noted pressure from both state authorities and JAAC supporters, creating a tough environment for independent reporting during the unrest and elections.

Notably, the communications shutdown, according to the mission, went far beyond political activity, disrupting banking, education, commerce, transport, public administration and healthcare.

On the elections, the HRCP created a distinction between political boycott and physical obstruction of voters. At polling stations it visited in Bagh, it discovered limited evidence of systematic physical coercion by JAAC supporters. In some areas, extremely low turnout appeared to reflect voluntary boycott, political disillusionment, fear and the wider security and communications environment rather than voters being physically prevented from casting ballots.

Meanwhile, the mission remarked the heavy deployment of security personnel, prolonged communications restrictions, boycott by major political actors, phased polling and postponement of seven constituencies raised wider questions concerning the credibility of the electoral process. The HRCP remarked the credibility of elections could not be judged solely by what happened inside polling stations but additionally had to consider the broader environment in which voters, candidates, political parties, journalists and civil society exercised their rights.

Meanwhile, the mission observed orderly voting at the polling stations it visited in Bagh. At some other stations, nevertheless, polling staff noted exceptionally low turnout and noted voters had not been threatened or prevented from voting, attributing the low participation to a voluntary boycott.

Notably, the HRCP additionally observed particularly low participation by women, with respondents linking their reluctance to vote partly to the wider climate of insecurity. It remarked reports concerning violence against women and the placement of women protesters on the Fourth Schedule required independent verification but indicated that the unrest may have generated fear affecting women's participation.

Notably, the report concluded that the 2026 electoral process took place against the backdrop of unresolved political grievances, insecurity, communications restrictions and significant limitations on independent observation. It halted short of concluding that the elections had been systematically manipulated or that voters had been systematically prevented from participating. Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2026.

Imran Gabol is a Lahore-based reporter for Dawn with over a decade of experience in journalism. He covers politics, climate change, human rights, education, and metropolitan affairs. He can be discovered on X at @gabolizm.

For now, 'Disproportionate use of force deepened polarisation in AJK' remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.