Dozens of others, including police personnel and civilians, were injured in the unrest that erupted on Sunday following tensions linked to a Supreme Court ruling on reserved legislative seats.
According to officials, the Supreme Court of Pakistan-administered Kashmir upheld the constitutional status of 12 legislative seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan, ruling that they cannot be abolished without a constitutional amendment.
The decision came ahead of a protest call issued by the banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has long demanded greater political rights for local residents and the removal of the refugee seats, arguing they give disproportionate political influence.
Local officials said armed supporters of the group opened fire during clashes in Rawalakot, leading to fatalities on both sides.
Commissioner Sardar Waheed Khan of the Poonch division said four police officers and one civilian were killed after being shot, while six protesters also died during the law enforcement response.
Police Chief Liaqat Malik said 23 security personnel and around 50 protesters were injured, and 30 people were arrested during the operation. He added that supporters of the group allegedly used firearms and petrol bombs, and also surrounded the Combined Military Hospital, disrupting medical services.
Authorities said security forces eventually dispersed the crowd and restored order, while accusing protesters of setting fire to public and private property.
The JAAC, however, rejected the official account. In a video statement, its leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir alleged that state forces carried out excessive violence, calling the incident a “massacre” and vowing to continue mobilisation for a planned June 9 protest.
The regional government had earlier declared the JAAC a proscribed organisation under anti-terror laws and advised tourists to leave the area ahead of the planned demonstrations.
The group has previously led large-scale protests in the region over rising food and electricity costs, some of which have turned violent during clashes with security forces in recent years.
Officials maintain that the recent operation was necessary to restore law and order, while investigations into the incident are ongoing.
