Just like Gaza: POK boils over as Pakistani drone strikes kill 7

Pakistanis are comparing their security forces to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) to Gaza after drone strikes on civilians reportedly killed seven civilians. Videos shared on social media by Pakistani and Kashmiri journalists and activists show burning homes and protesters mourning the dead.

In Short

• At least seven killed and 23 injured in Pakistan's Rawalakot crackdown
• Pakistani, Kashmiri voices compare Pak forces to Israel's IDF, POK to Gaza
• Protesters allege drone strikes and RPG attacks on homes in Rawalakot

Pakistanis are comparing their security forces to Israel's military after deadly drone strikes on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) left at least seven civilians dead and 23 others injured. According to reports, Pakistani and Kashmiri journalists, Pakistani security personnel opened fire and used armed drones in Rawalakot on Thursday. Videos of a burning house, reports of rocket attacks and images of protesters mourning the dead have sparked outrage on social media. Pakistanis have accused their own security forces of behaving like the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), saying they have turned POK into Gaza. The criticism is striking as it comes from people who have long stood alongside Pakistan's government and military establishment in condemning Israel's actions in Gaza.

The backlash follows a November 5 operation by Pakistani Rangers, Frontier Corps personnel and police to clear protest sites occupied by the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). The group, outlawed by Pakistan and protesting since June, is demanding basic political and economic rights, and the implementation of a 38-point charter, in the Indian region illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947.

In a video, JAAC leader Sardar Umar Nazir displayed what he described as fragments of bombs recovered after a drone strike on residential areas. He claimed that drones were attacking protest camps from multiple directions and appealed to residents to reach Rawalakot as the Pakistani crackdown intensified.

While India Today TV's Manjeet Negi reported seven deaths on Thursday, some Pakistani journalists say that fatalities could be around 12, including children.

'PAKISTAN'S SECURITY FORCES ARE BEHAVING LIKE THE IDF'

Among those expressing outrage was Islamabad-based Seema Bali, who identified herself as a Kashmiri and said the violence had shaken her longstanding support for Pakistan.

"As a Kashmiri, I'll not condemn this. I was always pro-Pakistan. But Pakistan has failed us. After years of failing the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, it is now using force against peaceful protesters in Kashmir. Pakistan's security forces are behaving like the IDF," she wrote on X.

Abu Dhabi-based Kashmiri activist Sohaib Khan, associated with the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), which is banned in India, drew parallels between the scenes emerging from POK and those from Gaza.

"Burning houses in Rawalakot after Pakistani forces' drone attacks are presenting the same horrific scenes as Gaza...," he wrote on X. "Occupier forces are occupied and brutal. No matter if it's Palestine, or POK."

Images and videos circulating on social media show burning buildings, demonstrations, and funeral processions of the deceased against the security operation.

BURNING HOUSE, ALLEGED RPG ORDERS AND BODIES OF PROTESTERS

Pakistan-based CBC News reporter Ali Mustafa shared three updates on the violence on X, citing videos and information he got from activists in POK.

In a post, Mustafa described footage showing a house burning near Rawalakot's bus terminal. The person recording the video alleged that security forces had targeted the building. Mustafa cautioned that it was unclear whether anyone was inside or whether explosives or artillery had caused the fire.

In another update, Mustafa referred to purported intercepted communications allegedly involving security personnel. One instruction reportedly said, "Target this house with 3-4 rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs)."

The authenticity of the recording has not been verified by India Today Digital.

Mustafa also shared accounts of a mass demonstration where protesters reportedly displayed the bodies of JAAC activists killed during the operation.

"Answer us! Answer us! Answer us for this oppression!" protesters could be heard shouting, in one of the videos.

WHY ARE PEOPLE IN POK PROTESTING?

The protests in POK, led by the JAAC, erupted in June over political representation, rising prices and what protesters describe as decades of discrimination by Islamabad.

A major flashpoint was the 12 Assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees settled elsewhere in Pakistan. Protesters say these seats allow Islamabad to interfere in local politics.

The JAAC's 38-point charter demands cheaper electricity, subsidised wheat, better healthcare, education, jobs and greater political autonomy. Residents argue that despite generating substantial hydropower, POK receives little benefit and continues to face steep electricity bills.

The agitation intensified after Pakistan banned the JAAC under anti-terrorism laws in June, arrested activists and imposed communication restrictions. Anger is also linked to resource exploitation, civilian killings and political interference by Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Despite months of crackdowns, the protests have continued, with Rawalakot emerging as a major centre of resistance in POK.

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