The operation reportedly involved Pakistani Rangers and Frontier Corps personnel, assisted by local police, with claims of military drone strikes on civilian residential areas. At least seven people were reportedly killed and 23 injured after Pakistani security forces launched a major crackdown on protesters in Rawalakot in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) on Thursday morning, with reports also alleging the use of military drones against civilian residential areas. The operation began at around 8 am, with Pakistani Rangers and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, assisted by PoJK police, moving against key protest sites following Fajr prayers. Security personnel reportedly opened heavy fire on demonstrators participating in the ongoing civil uprising. According to open-source accounts, the seven fatalities and 23 injuries were recorded during the first two hours of the operation, between 8 am and 10 am. The reported deaths have taken the toll in PoJK to 153 since June 7. The crackdown has also triggered allegations of drone strikes in residential neighbourhoods. Reports claim that military drones struck civilian areas, including an attack that allegedly destroyed the house of a local resident, Waseem Shakeel. JAAC leader Sardar Umar Nazir subsequently displayed what he described as recovered bomb fragments in Rawalakot, alleging that they came from a Pakistani military drone attack targeting civilian homes and peaceful protesters. The circumstances surrounding the reported drone attack, including the nature of the weapon used and the extent of damage, could not be independently established from the available open-source information. The operation targeted protest sites where thousands had been mobilising against the authorities. More than 5,000 demonstrators had reportedly been staging a sit-in at the Rawalakot Bus Terminal since June 9. The protesters are demanding the implementation of a 38-point charter of demands, which has become the focus of the wider civil uprising in PoJK. Despite the security operation, confrontations continued near Omar Farooq Chowk, where thousands reportedly gathered. Women were also seen confronting security personnel, while appeals issued through mosque loudspeakers urged residents to assemble and resist the crackdown. The developments indicate that the operation has not brought the demonstrations to an immediate end, with large gatherings continuing even as security personnel move against protest sites. The latest reported fatalities come amid an escalating confrontation between protesters and Pakistani authorities. According to the open-source figures, the death toll across PoJK has reached 153 since June 7, although the available material does not provide a breakdown of the earlier fatalities or independently establish the circumstances surrounding each death. The reported use of drones against residential areas, if verified, would add another serious dimension to the crackdown, particularly given the allegations of damage to civilian homes. With thousands still gathered in Rawalakot and confrontations continuing around key locations, the situation in PoJK remains volatile. The immediate focus is on the scale of the security operation, the reported civilian casualties and whether the authorities will take steps to address the protesters' 38-point charter. Yuvraj Tyagi is a Senior Copy Editor, specializing in security, national, international and defense affairs. With extensive experience covering the Ka... View More