3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Aug 4, 2026 06:41 PM IST
India on Tuesday upped the offensive on Pakistan over the elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), calling them a “complete farce” and slamming the killing of at least 90 civilians in the crackdown by its forces.
This is the second time in the last four days that Delhi has responded sharply to Islamabad’s “ruthless” use of force against peaceful protesters. Earlier, on July 31, India had called upon the international community to scrutinise and hold Pakistan accountable for the “atrocities” being committed in the PoK.
On Tuesday, responding to questions, the Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “This so-called local election in PoK is a complete farce. The real happening is that of public protests and wanton killings by Pakistani forces. Such hollow exercises cannot hide reality.”
“Since June this year, at least 90 civilians have lost their lives in the continuing crackdown. The Pakistani establishment has answered public discontent with bullets, blackouts, intimidation and repression, and now seeks to manufacture legitimacy through a hollow electoral exercise. It must be held accountable, and the world should see through the flimsy veneer of Pakistan’s hypocritical lecturing on human rights,” the MEA spokesperson said.
His comments come at a time when global human rights and press freedom watchdogs, including Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ Asia), have issued urgent statements condemning escalating state violence, press restrictions, and media suppression surrounding the ongoing protests in Rawalakot and across the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
On July 31, the MEA spokesperson had said: “The Pakistani establishment continues to unleash ruthless force against peaceful civilians in PoJK. This crackdown has resulted in the tragic death of over 40 civilians and serious injuries to many.” He called the rigged elections there a rejection of the Pakistani establishment.
Elections for 45 contesting seats in the PoK legislative assembly are being held in three phases and will conclude on August 10. There are 53 seats in PoK — 45 members are directly elected while eight seats are reserved for women, technocrats and clerics.
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After the first phase on July 27, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won nine of the 13 seats, authorities said amid allegations of mass rigging. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) reportedly won the remaining seats.
New Delhi has described the ongoing elections as an attempt by Islamabad to camouflage its illegal occupation and hide its “grave” violation of human rights in the region.
PoK has been witnessing massive protests since last month over high living costs, alleged administrative apathy and political discrimination and atrocities against minorities.