Dozens Killed in Rawalakot Clashes Over Refugee Seats

Deadly clashes between security forces and protesters in Pakistan-administered Kashmir have killed dozens of people and drawn international condemnation, including a sharp rebuke from India. The violence, centered in the city of Rawalakot, erupted over the weekend amid a dispute over political representation and the banning of a prominent civil society group.

Regional officials reported that at least 11 people, including four police officers, were killed in clashes on Sunday, June 7. Other reports citing officials and local media put the death toll at over 20 or even 30, with hundreds more injured. The unrest occurred ahead of a major protest rally scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, organized by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

The JAAC has been leading demonstrations demanding the abolition of 12 legislative seats in the regional assembly reserved for Kashmiri refugees who settled in Pakistan after 1947. The group argues these seats, which are constitutionally protected following a Supreme Court ruling on Sunday, grant disproportionate political influence to non-residents and undermine local representation. The JAAC also cites broader economic grievances, including...