India on Friday stepped up its criticism of Pakistan over the security crackdown in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), urging the international community to examine Islamabad's actions and hold it responsible for what it described as atrocities against civilians.
The remarks came amid reports that around 40 people have been killed since July 27 as security forces acted against demonstrators during local-body elections in the region. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the use of force against peaceful protesters had led to multiple fatalities and left several others injured.
