At least 15 killed in clashes as thousands march in Pakistan-administered Kashmir

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - MUZAFFARABAD — At least 15 people, including four security forces, have been killed in clashes between protesters and police in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, local authorities said on Thursday.

The Joint Awami Action ⁠Committee (JAAC), a collective of activist groups, called on people to march to the regional capital Muzaffarabad on Tuesday to protest against the reservation of 12 seats for refugees in upcoming elections.

Authorities responded by accusing the group of sedition, banning it and ordering action against its leaders.

Authorities deployed federal paramilitary troops and issued a strict travel advisory before the protest, which went ahead despite the restrictions leading to clashes with security forces in different parts of the region.

Local officials say that a massive convoy of protesters — more than 10,000 by official estimates — are four kilometres (2.4mi) outside the city of Rawalkot.

The Poonch district commissioner of Pakistan-administered Kashmir Sardar Waheed Khan told BBC Urdu that security officials were patrolling the area to ensure law and order, while residents had been told not to leave their homes.

He added that the convoy of protesters would not be allowed to pass through Rawalkot to go to Muzaffarabad.

Reporters say that local mosques are broadcasting announcements asking people not to leave their homes.

There are fears of further violence but Khan said that rule of law "would be ensured".

Helicopters have also been flying surveillance flights in the state capital Muzaffarabad as well as in Rawalkot.

The situation first escalated in Rawalakot earlier this week when protesters and security forces clashed.

Officials told the BBC that another three people had died in clashes in the city of Kotli on Tuesday.

At least 50 people have been injured in the clashes and the number of dead is expected to rise.

Amnesty International said in a statement on Tuesday that the "violent and sweeping crackdown" on the protests, which includes "an internet shutdown, mass arbitrary arrests, and deadly use of force", "continues an alarming deterioration of human rights in the region".

But despite the violence, the march to Muzaffarabad is still continuing, and the JAAC has also called for a general strike. An uneasy silence has now blanketed the city, with streets empty, businesses shuttered and police on patrol.

It's unclear if these businesses were closed because of safety concerns, or if they were going on strike in solidarity with the JAAC.

One trader in Muzaffarabad told BBC Urdu that they had closed their shop not because of any organisation but out of their own free will. They said they would continue striking until their demands were met or an end to the strike was announced.

The reservation of the 12 seats for Kashmiri refugees, who do not live in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, in the local legislative assembly election coming up in July has been a contentious issue in the region. It effectively bars people who live inside Pakistan-administered Kashmir from contesting the seats.

The JAAC has called for the abolition of the reserved seats, arguing that all the seats in the legislature must go to those who actually reside in the region.

But the authorities banned the group on 5 June under anti-terrorism laws, claiming that the group "engaged in terrorism" and behaved "in a manner prejudicial to the peace and security of the State", local media reported.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan-administered-Kashmir also ruled that the seats are constitutionally protected and cannot be altered through administrative measures, political agreements, or public pressure, according to a detailed advisory opinion issued on a presidential reference.

Pakistani-administered Kashmir is a semi-autonomous region with its own regional government.

Kashmir has been a source of conflict between India and Pakistan for more than 70 years.

Delhi and Islamabad both claim the Himalayan region in full, and have fought two wars and a limited conflict over Kashmir.