Kashmir International Front Blasts Official Narrative as “Pack of Lies”: Pakistan Using Force Instead of Addressing Basic Demands. UN and ICC fact finding must be allowed to visit Rawalakot - UKJNews

 

Kashmir International Front (KIF) Rejects Official Narrative
The Kashmir International Front (KIF) has dismissed the official narrative as a "pack of lies." KIF draws from its own experience in 1994, when it organized the Gilgit-Baltistan International Conference in London and was attacked by government-sponsored pro-terror outfits.

Declaring the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a terrorist outfit, KIF argues, effectively labels 90% of Azad Kashmir’s population as terrorists.

KIF has appealed to the United Nations and the Prosecutor General of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to urge the Pakistani government to allow an independent fact-finding mission. Such a mission would investigate the massacre of innocent Kashmiris in Rawalakot and help ensure justice for the oppressed.

Access and Verification Challenges

Foreign and independent journalists face significant restrictions in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). Entry requires special permits from Pakistani authorities, and coverage of sensitive security or protest-related issues frequently results in self-censorship, harassment, or denial of access.

Local journalists operate under intense pressure, including reported “media advice” from state agencies and legal restrictions (such as laws prohibiting “ridiculing the community” or criticizing state institutions). This environment allows official narratives to dominate Pakistani mainstream media outlets like Dawn, Geo, and Express, while social media and activist channels amplify alternative claims.

Full independent verification remains extremely difficult due to reported communication blackouts and restricted access. Among available sources, Dawn (particularly through its local correspondent Tariq Naqash based in Muzaffarabad) and other Pakistani outlets provide the most accessible primary reporting from within the region.

 The Official Narrative in the Rawalakot Unprovoked Massacre Lacks Credible Historical and Factual Backing.
The AJK Police and government position, articulated by IG Liaqat Ali Malik and the Poonch Commissioner, claims that "proscribed" Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) supporters launched a premeditated armed attack on security forces during or after a funeral gathering at CMH Rawalakot. They allege the use of automatic weapons and petrol bombs, resulting in 4 law enforcement deaths and 20+ injuries, with security forces responding in self-defense, leading to 7 civilian deaths. Around 30 arrests followed, with weapons and communications equipment allegedly seized. This is framed as a necessary response to planned violence ahead of the June 9 strike.

This account raises serious questions when viewed against broader patterns in Pakistan's handling of protests, especially in AJK.

Questionable Leadership and Mindset

IG Liaqat Ali Malik, a retired army captain, reportedly stated in the past that "killing one thousand people" would fix Pakistan's problems. Appointing someone with this mindset to lead law enforcement in a tense region signals a deeper institutional preference for brute force over accountability. It suggests a culture where hardline, extrajudicial thinking is rewarded rather than scrutinized. When law enforcers openly entertain mass killing as a solution, it undermines any claim of measured, fact-based response and points to a system comfortable blending authority with intimidation.

Historical Pattern of Official Narratives in AJK Protests

Pakistan's official narratives on AJK unrest have repeatedly followed a template: label protesters as armed threats or foreign-influenced, justify lethal force, and downplay civilian casualties. JAAC, an umbrella of lawyers, traders, students, worker unions, and civil society groups, has organized multiple rounds of protests (e.g., 2024 and 2025) over economic grievances, electricity tariffs, resource exploitation, elite privileges, and undemocratic structures like reserved legislative seats. These are not fringe anarchists, terror outfits, or extremists but mainstream civic actors.

Despite this, authorities have banned JAAC under anti-terrorism laws shortly before planned actions, imposed communication blackouts, and deployed heavy forces. Past clashes saw similar claims of protester violence, yet independent reports and protester videos often showed disproportionate responses, including firing on crowds. Promises made in agreements (like the 2025 Muzaffarabad deal) frequently remain unimplemented, fueling repeated cycles of unrest.

The Rawalakot incident fits this mold: It erupted after the death of a trader allegedly shot by forces days earlier. Official claims of a "planned attack" under funeral cover contrast with videos circulating of crowds handling bodies and reports of indiscriminate firing on mourners. Protesters allege higher civilian tolls and even targeting of local police sympathetic to the public. Without transparents, independent investigation — including forensic analysis of weapons, autopsies, and unedited footage — the narrative remains one-sided.

Culture of Lawlessness and Politicization

Pakistan's law enforcement, particularly in sensitive areas like AJK, has a documented history of politicization, corruption, and selective enforcement. A telling anecdote involves FBI operations: Agents often avoided sharing real-time intelligence with local police beforehand, fearing leaks that would allow suspects to escape. This reflects systemic issues where ideology, political loyalty, or informal networks trump professional duty.

In AJK, this manifests as:

• Preemptive bans and labeling — JAAC's proscription as a "terror" group ahead of a strike criminalizes dissent rather than addressing root causes like governance failures and lack of autonomy.
• Force as default — History shows excessive responses to economic and rights-based protests, with casualties often attributed solely to "miscreants" while ignoring accountability for security forces.
• Narrative control — Claims of foreign agents (e.g., RAW) or terrorism surface routinely, diverting from legitimate grievances. AJK's ambiguous status — nominally autonomous but heavily controlled by Islamabad on key issues — breeds resentment and makes genuine dialogue rare.   

Peaceful civic groups like JAAC have little incentive for armed confrontation; it would alienate their broad support base and play into the state's hands. History suggests state forces often escalate to justify crackdowns, especially when protests challenge the status quo of control and patronage.

In summary, the official version in Rawalakot aligns more with a recurring playbook of denial, deflection, and demonization than with transparent facts. It thrives in a political culture where law enforcement serves power rather than the public, and where accountability is scarce. Genuine resolution requires independent probes, implementation of long-standing demands, and reform — not repeated cycles of violence and one-sided stories. Without these, skepticism toward official narratives remains well-founded, rooted in patterns rather than isolated claims.