Pakistan doesn't want world to know what these people saw

Residents in Rawalakot, a city in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, describe harrowing scenes of security forces allegedly firing indiscriminately on unarmed demonstrators. Haji Hasan Azizi recounted witnessing security officials with large guns shooting at people on the street outside his house, stating, "We picked up the dead bodies; we put them in ambulances and carried some on our shoulders."

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We picked up the dead bodies; we put them in ambulances and carried some on our shoulders.

The city has become the epicenter of months-long protests, reignited by a dispute over electoral reform between activists and the government. The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), an activist group representing the region's people, alleges that government forces have killed more than 83 people since June. The government disputes these claims, stating force was used because protesters were allegedly armed.

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This is the spot where a boy was martyred. His name was Noman. He was from Singola village, two to three kilometres away from here.

Many witnesses expressed shock at the government's response, which they found unexpectedly lethal. The protests gained momentum after the JAAC signed an agreement with the government last October, which included a list of promised reforms. However, the failure to implement one of these demands earlier this year led to the resurgence of the movement.

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Our kids were killed.

Adding to the difficulty in verifying events, Pakistan has imposed a blackout on internet and mobile services across Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. Furthermore, new government guidelines prohibit foreign journalists from reporting on the ground, severely limiting independent coverage of the escalating situation.

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The JAAC alleges government forces have killed more than 83 people since June.