Protest group says 30 dead in Pakistan-administered Kashmir vote unrest

Deadly clashes reported in Pakistan-administered Kashmir amid first round of voting for regional elections on July 27.Watchdogs have raised concerns over mounting reports of deadly clashes during regional elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where a banned activist group has boycotted the vote and staged protests.The clashes between police and protesters earlier this week killed more than 30 people in the region, according to the leaders of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Pakistan’s Kashmir votes: Why the election hinges on 12 disputed seatslist 2 of 3Thousands march in Pakistan-administered Kashmir amid election unrestlist 3 of 3Kashmiri activist Khurram Parvez and journalist Irfan Mehraj freed on bailend of listIn a video statement on Wednesday shared by Arab News Pakistan, JAAC committee member Sardar Umar Nazir claimed 20 of the group’s supporters had been killed during a march on Monday, when the first round of voting took place.He listed reports of at least 10 other protesters being killed the following day in the towns of Rawalakot, Mirpur and elsewhere, including during sit-ins.“Our demand was peaceful, it was peaceful, we tried to keep it non-violent and bullets were fired at it,” said Nazir in the video statement.Pakistani authorities said a member of the security personnel was killed and five more were injured in clashes on Monday.Rights group Amnesty International called the reports of lethal force against protesters in the area “disturbing” and urged an investigation.Pear Pandya, a senior analyst at conflict monitor ACLED, said the violence in Pakistan-administered Kashmir “is bound to overshadow the legitimacy of the entire electoral exercise”.Monday’s first-round vote – covering the districts of Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber – will be followed by two more rounds on August 2 and August 10.Pakistan’s primary governing party, ⁠the PML-N, won nine out of the 13 seats that were up for election on Monday.