British national shot dead in Kashmir by Pakistani security forces
Mohammad Akhtar, 50, from Peterborough killed during clashes between authorities and protesters A British national was shot dead in Pakistan-administered Kashmir during clashes between security forces and protesters, the Guardian can reveal. Another Briton has been held in a regional prison for more than two months despite his family’s efforts to secure his release through the Foreign Office. The details, which have not been previously reported, shed light on how Britons with familial ties to the region have been affected by the clashes, which have killed dozens in the Himalayan territory and posed the biggest challenge for Pakistani authorities in recent years. Mohammad Akhtar, 50, a resident of Peterborough, was killed on 9 June after his family said Pakistani security forces opened fire on a gathering where protesters were demanding economic and electoral reforms in the disputed region that is also claimed by India. Stephen Doughty, who currently holds the role in the Foreign Office, has also been in touch with his counterparts.
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Islamabad has been accused of launching a violent crackdown on supporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) , a civil society group that launched protests in Kashmir months ahead of a three-phase vote in the region that began on 27 July and which have been repeatedly disrupted by the unrest.
