New Delhi [India], July 31 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday slammed Islamabad following reports that Pakistani forces killed over 40 people and injured scores more during recent anti-government demonstrations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

Addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan's actions against peaceful protesters in PoJK had exposed its treatment of the people living under its control.

'As you and all of us have witnessed, the Pakistani establishment continues to unleash ruthless force against peaceful civilians in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. This crackdown has resulted in the tragic death of over 40 innocent people, and many more have been seriously injured. It's the establishment's absolute disdain for the innocent people of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir that was laid bare when their Defence Minister branded the protesting civilians as enemies,' Jaiswal said.

Referring to recent remarks by Pakistan Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Jaiswal said the statement amounted to an open admission of Pakistan's state-sponsored terrorism, noting that Islamabad had trained, funded, armed and sent Mujahideen to India, who had now turned against the Pakistani state duirng the protest.

'The Special Assistant of the Prime Minister [of Pakistan] on Political Affairs has openly admitted that the very Mujahideen that the Pakistani establishment trained, funded, armed, and sent to India have turned their guns inwards, weaponising themselves against the state,' the MEA spokesperson said.

Sanaullah, earlier in an interview with Geo News, admitted that the protesters in PoJK 'are the same people we once trained as Mujahideen. We sent them to fight, and today they are hanging around our necks.'

The MEA spokesperson further stated that the 'so-called elections' in PoJK reflected a rejection of the Pakistani establishment by the people and noted that those facing the crackdown had sought an independent international investigation into the violence.

'The so-called elections stand as a humiliating rejection of the Pakistan establishment. Facing a violent regime, the people have requested international organisations for an independent investigation into the unlawful killings. We urged that the international community should scrutinise Pakistan's actions and hold it accountable for its atrocities,' he said.

MEA'S remark comes as the region witnessed widespread protests, with the people there complaining about widespread electoral rigging, political interference and systematic suppression of democratic rights.

The United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) has also called for urgent intervention by the United Nations and the international community over the worsening human rights situation in PoJK.

In a statement on X, the organisation urged global institutions, governments, and human rights organisations to take immediate steps to protect civilians, ensure accountability, and uphold international human rights law.

The UKPNP appealed to the United Nations, the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Russia, China, international human rights organisations, and the global media to respond to the escalation of violence in the region.

India has consistently maintained that Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and has repeatedly raised concerns over Pakistan's support for cross-border terrorism and the treatment of civilians in the region. (ANI)