‘Demand for bread and dignity met with bullets and brutality’: India slams Pakistan over PoK at UN

India has launched a blistering diplomatic assault at the United Nations, accusing Pakistan of meeting demands for 'bread, electricity, rights and dignity' in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) with 'bullets and brutality.' The sharp condemnation comes amidst a brutal crackdown by Pakistani authorities in PoK, particularly in Rawalakot, where recent clashes between security forces and protestors have reportedly resulted in dozens of civilian deaths and hundreds of injuries. The unrest, spearheaded by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), erupted in early June following Pakistan decision to ban the civil society coalition under anti-terrorism laws and the alleged killing of a local activist. Protestors in PoK are voicing deep-seated grievances over economic hardship, including high wheat flour prices and electricity tariffs, coupled with demands for political reforms, an end to resource exploitation, and the abolition of 12 reserved seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly. This current wave of violence, which has drawn criticism from human rights organizations like the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, is not unprecedented, echoing similar protests in 2024 and October 2025. As India leverages the international stage to spotlight what it terms Pakistan 'illegal occupation' and human rights abuses in PoK, diplomatic relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours remain at a perilous low. The continued unrest and Pakistan attempts to deflect blame by raising the broader Kashmir dispute at the UN signal further geopolitical friction, particularly with upcoming legislative elections in Gilgit-Baltistan also drawing Indian protests. The international community will be closely watching for any escalation, as calls for accountability and resolution of long-standing grievances intensify.