British national shot dead in PoK as Pakistan crackdown leaves more than 90 dead

A British national was killed in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) during clashes between Pakistani security forces and protesters, adding a new dimension to the growing controversy over Islamabad’s handling of unrest in the region.

Mohammad Akhtar, a 50-year-old resident of Peterborough, was killed on June 9 in Kotli, where protests demanding economic and electoral reforms had brought demonstrators into confrontation with security forces.

According to a report by The Guardian, his family said he was not participating in the protests and was struck by a bullet while staying near the area where the clashes were taking place.

Akhtar was among those affected by the violence that has shaken PoK in recent months. Another British national has also reportedly been held in a regional prison for more than two months, despite efforts by his family to seek help from British authorities.

Pakistan faces scrutiny over PoK crackdown

Akhtar’s death has highlighted the risks faced by civilians as Pakistan struggles to contain a broad-based protest movement in PoK. His family reportedly faced difficulties in getting a police complaint registered and feared possible retaliation if the case attracted wider attention.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has expressed concern over the situation in parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. According to the report, British officials have been in contact with Pakistani counterparts, while the UK’s travel advisory now warns against all but essential travel to areas affected by the unrest.

British officials have also raised the situation with Pakistan. However, Pakistan’s foreign ministry and its high commission in London did not comment on Akhtar’s death.

The allegations come as Pakistani authorities face growing criticism over their response to protests led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). Pakistan has rejected allegations that its forces deliberately targeted unarmed protesters.

JAAC protest expands beyond elections

The JAAC movement initially focused on demands linked to political representation, including the removal of 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees from Jammu and Kashmir who moved to Pakistan after 1947.

The movement has since expanded into a wider challenge to Islamabad’s administration of PoK. Its demands include lower electricity costs, greater control over local resources, improved governance, employment opportunities, judicial reforms, accountability and the release of detained activists.

The unrest has also affected the electoral process. The JAAC decided to boycott elections, accusing authorities of political bias, while clashes and protests have continued to create instability across the region.

Pakistan has declared the JAAC a terrorist organisation and imposed a communications blackout in PoK since June 5.

Security forces have been accused of killing between 80 and 90 people during demonstrations and clashes, with wider estimates putting the overall death toll from the unrest at more than 90. Islamabad has rejected the allegations.

Islamabad’s handling of unrest under fire

The response from Pakistan has increasingly drawn criticism, particularly as the government has relied on security measures instead of addressing the protesters’ grievances through sustained negotiations.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also faced backlash after reportedly dismissing the protesters’ Kashmiri identity during the unrest. Critics argued that such remarks risk deepening the alienation of people in a region already facing longstanding political and economic grievances.

The unrest has even triggered appeals for support from across the Line of Control. PoK protest leader Sardar Aman Khan has called on people in Srinagar, Ladakh, Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu to support the movement, while alleging that Pakistani authorities have used restrictions on essential supplies to pressure protesters.

Akhtar’s death now adds an international dimension to the PoK crisis, with the killing of a British citizen likely to draw further scrutiny of Pakistan’s conduct during the security crackdown.