A young woman from Baramulla has taken the plight of thousands in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to the international stage as she slammed Islamabad’s deadly crackdown on protests in the region at the 63rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Tasleema Akhtar, a socio-political activist associated with the Association of Terror Victims in Kashmir (ATVK), raised serious concerns over the deteriorating human rights situation in PoK and accused Pakistani security forces of gunning down civilians who were peacefully demanding basic rights.
“There should be an independent probe into each killing with free and fair access to information related to all cases,” the Kashmiri woman said.
Addressing the UNHRC General Assembly in Geneva, Akhtar said PoK has recently witnessed sustained peaceful protests led by the Joint Awami Action Committee and civil society groups over governance and economic issues, which were met with a brutal crackdown.
“The Pakistan government arrested hundreds of activists, detained key leaders, shut down the internet, and resorted to violent clashes that claimed dozens of lives, exposing political instability and public discontent in PoK,” she said.
Flagging the complete absence of civic space, she demanded immediate intervention by the UNHRC. “There is no civic space in PoK. Large-scale reprisals and killing of innocent civilians by Pakistani forces must be stopped at once. Civic space and communications must be restored, and there should be an independent inquiry into each killing,” she added.
Drawing a sharp contrast with Jammu and Kashmir, Tasleema highlighted the development story of the union territory.
“In contrast, Jammu and Kashmir in India has advanced through skill development since 2024, generating employment and boosting local businesses, with Smart City initiatives and rural infrastructure further strengthening development,” she said.
Her intervention laid bare Pakistan’s repression in PoJK while showcasing the story of peace, progress and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.
