The designation of a peaceful grassroots movement as a terrorist organization, coupled with a deadly military response to civilian protests, constitutes a grave and accelerating deterioration of fundamental rights in the region, according to two major international human rights organisations that have issued urgent condemnations of Pakistan's intensifying crackdown in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK).
The International Human Rights Foundation (IHRF) and Amnesty International both released emergency statements on Tuesday, demanding the unconditional lifting of a ban on the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), a civil society organization that has spearheaded protests over political rights and economic grievances in PoK for a number of years, as well as an immediate de-escalation and independent investigations into civilian killings.

What the Rights Organisations Have to Say
Isabelle Lassee, the Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, was blunt in her criticism of Islamabad's conduct. "Branding a grassroots organization as 'terrorist' on vague grounds, while simultaneously cutting the region off from the outside world, raises serious concerns regarding the Pakistani authorities' conduct and their disregard for human rights," she stated. "The proscription of JKJAAC under anti-terror laws is disproportionate, unlawful and a violation of the right to freedom of association."

Lassee went on to say that the startling increase in violence, including the protesters' deaths, "raises serious questions," and she called on the authorities to carry out an impartial investigation into what she claimed was the extrajudicial killing of JKJAAC activist Shahzeb Habib and the protesters' deaths in Rawalakot.
The IHRF went on to warn that Pakistan's actions have "effectively sealed Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir, severely impeding the flow of information and reports of abuses." These actions include the suspension of internet and mobile networks, the deployment of federal paramilitary troops, and travel restrictions that prevent outsiders from entering the region. The crackdown was characterised by the foundation as "a grave deterioration of human rights in the region."

Both groups have urged Pakistani authorities to carefully abide by international norms regarding the use of force, which state that it must only be employed as a last resort and in accordance with the principles of necessity and proportionality.

JKJAAC's Requirements
In recent years, the JKJAAC, a grassroots movement headed by civilians, has emerged as the most well-known organised voice defending the rights of the people of PoK. The committee's complaints stem from decades of what critics characterise as direct administrative and military control by Islamabad over the ostensibly self-governing territory. These grievances include persistent electricity shortages, the escalating cost of necessities, and the lack of true political representation for locals.

The breakdown of talks between the JKJAAC and the Pakistani government in late May 2026 served as the immediate catalyst for the current issue. The committee's demand to eliminate 12 seats in PoK's legislative assembly set aside for refugees from Jammu and Kashmir who immigrated to Pakistan after 1947 caused negotiations to break down. The JKJAAC contended that this clause is an antiquated tool used by political parties supported by Islamabad to influence the establishment of the regional administration, so depriving locals of their right to vote. The committee declared a strike for the entire region on June 9 after no agreement could be reached.

The Crackdown: Escalation Timeline
Instead of starting talks again, Pakistani authorities declared the JKJAAC a "proscribed organization" on June 5 in accordance with the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Terrorism Act, 2014. On the same day, PoK halted all mobile and internet network services until at least June 12. All outsiders, including tourists, were advised to depart right once, and access was prohibited until June 20. Federal paramilitary forces were stationed all throughout the region.
Shahzeb Habib, a JKJAAC activist, was shot by police that same evening while riding in a car with another committee member. There is no proof that he constituted an immediate threat to cops, according to rights organisations. His wounds later claimed his life. His murder has been described by Amnesty International as a suspected extrajudicial execution.

Under Pakistan's Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, journalist Sohrab Barkat was detained on June 6 for reportedly endorsing the JKJAAC on his YouTube channel. He is still being held. The JKJAAC's central office in Muzaffarabad was raided and shut by authorities on June 7. During June 6 and 7, more than 100 members and leaders were taken into custody.
On June 7, security personnel and demonstrators battled outside the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalakot, where Shahzeb's body had been transferred for a post-mortem. At least eight demonstrators and four police officers lost their lives, while 50 demonstrators and 23 officers were reportedly hurt. The IHRF stated on June 8 and 9 that the total number of civilian deaths had increased to over 25, including at least one woman.

Rights Groups: This Is a Trend, Not an Exception
Crucially, the IHRF and Amnesty International place the recent violence in the context of a documented and ongoing pattern of governmental repression in PoK. Amnesty International documented the illegal use of live ammunition and tear gas during the JKJAAC's Kashmir Long March in May 2024, which resulted in the deaths of three demonstrators and one police officer. During further protests in October 2025, at least nine people lost their lives—six demonstrators and three police officers—and hundreds more were hurt.The IHRF cautioned that the authorities run the potential of more fatalities and a total deterioration of fundamental rights in the area if they do not take swift remedial action in response to the persistent pattern of crackdowns on JKJAAC rallies, which included lethal violence in May 2024 and October 2025.

Important Requests from Human Rights Organisations
Both organisations have given Pakistani officials a precise set of demands. They are demanding the immediate lifting of the JKJAAC ban, the restoration of internet and mobile services, an end to mass arbitrary arrests, the release of journalist Sohrab Barkat, and an impartial, open investigation into Shahzeb Habib's murder and all civilian deaths during the protests.Additionally, they have expressed serious concerns regarding the political environment. The Pakistani government declared regional elections in PoK for July 27, 2026, on June 5, the same day it designated JKJAAC as a terrorist group. The IHRF specifically urged authorities to "facilitate peaceful assemblies ahead of announced regional elections," cautioning that it would be incompatible with Pakistan's international human rights obligations to hold elections while the region's main civil movement is prohibited, its leaders are imprisoned, and communications are cut off.
The work of Amnesty International Lassee was also straightforward: "The situation needs to be defused immediately by Pakistani authorities. Pakistan must encourage peaceful gatherings and refrain from restricting the right to freedom of association in advance of the impending regional elections. Lifting the illegal ban on JKJAAC should be the first step in this.