POK: Is Pakistan Hiding Death Numbers? Here's What Twitter Claims

New Delhi is closely observing the situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after a protest broke out in the region in demand of cheaper electricity and a subsidised rate of flour. As per reports, at least three civilians and a policeman have been killed in the escalation so far.  

According to Pakistani media, the Rangers, who had been called in to put an end to days-long agitation, opened fire on stone-pelting protestors as they were leaving the region on Monday. This resulted in the deaths in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The policeman was killed in the protest, and there are reports of 100 people being injured, including six on Monday. But are these numbers accurate? The netizens differ on whether they believe so. Since the first open fire, there have been numerous posts on social media that suggest the situation in the PoK may be worse than it appears.  

The social media platform ‘X’ is filled with disturbing footage of violence. These videos show the cries and screams of mothers lying down in the hospital's corridor and people running on the street after being assaulted, and many of them show candlelight processions at night.  

One user wrote, “Several residents of PoK are in extremely critical situation, death count to raise further.”   

Another one said, “Many young people were seriously injured, and there was a possibility of death.”  

However, Zee News English was not able to verify the authenticity of the videos.  

Meanwhile The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, has authorised the emergency provision of Rs 23 billion for wheat and power subsidies just before Monday's unrest broke out. As per reports, the JAAC has called off the protests, citing that the administration has agreed to all their demands. 

According to a report by Associated Press, the economic crisis in the Pakistan-held Kashmir reflects the broader troubles in the country. The report highlighted that Pakistan’s monthly inflation rate hit 40% last year, and remains at 17%. 

While protests over price increases have occurred in both Pakistan and Pakistani-occupied Kashmir previously, the recent rallies marked the first instance of such widespread public participation in the territory's history. 

The vulnerable situation of the Pok presents an opening for India to promote a narrative comparing the PoK with Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on global platforms. The peaceful Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir and hosting an international event such as the G20 summit in Srinagar paint a strong front for India among the global community.