Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir Unrest Reveals Flaws in Pakistan’s Kashmir Narrative

Widespread Protests in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir Signal Deepening Crisis

Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has erupted in one of its largest waves of civil unrest in decades, with thousands of protesters filling streets across Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Mirpur in recent weeks. The immediate catalyst for these demonstrations was Islamabad’s decision to impose arbitrary taxation on electricity generated from the Mangla Dam—a resource extracted from PoK but primarily benefiting Punjab and other Pakistani provinces.

The protests have drawn broad participation from traders, teachers, transport workers and government employees who collectively accuse Pakistan’s authorities of treating PoK as a subordinate territory rather than an equal partner in the federation. Pakistani authorities have responded with harsh measures, including internet suspensions, curfew impositions, and the detention of hundreds of activists under security laws.

Beyond electricity taxation, protesters have articulated a comprehensive list of demands including the release of political prisoners, fair allocation of hydropower revenue, and restoration of promised autonomy under the 1949 Karachi Agreement—commitments that activists say Pakistan has consistently failed to honor.

The Pakistani government’s forceful response has further alienated a population already struggling with inflation, unemployment, and chronic administrative neglect. Analysts note this unrest represents not merely an isolated expression of anger, but rather the culmination of decades of economic exploitation and democratic disenfranchisement.

Rather than addressing these legitimate grievances, Pakistan’s establishment has fallen back on familiar rhetoric, attributing the unrest to alleged Indian interference. Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal publicly urged protesters to “avoid lighting a fire that could benefit our enemy country,” suggesting that India would capitalize on the situation. Such statements appear calculated to delegitimize the grassroots movement by framing it as foreign-instigated subversion.

Despite repeated accusations of Indian involvement, Pakistani officials have failed to produce credible evidence supporting these claims. This stands in stark contrast to Pakistan’s own documented history of cross-border operations against India, including the Mumbai attacks of 2008, Uri in 2016, Pulwama in 2019, and the recent Pahalgam incident that claimed 26 lives.

The escalating situation in PoK has drawn attention to the stark socioeconomic conditions in the region. According to a 2023 WaterAid Pakistan report, more than half of PoK residents lack access to safe drinking water, resulting in approximately 3,000 deaths annually from waterborne diseases. Healthcare infrastructure remains severely deficient, with rural areas having roughly one hospital per 150,000 people and chronic shortages of medical personnel and supplies.

The Mangla Dam—which displaced over 100,000 local residents during its construction—serves as a potent symbol of PoK’s exploitation. Reports indicate that Islamabad diverts up to 80 percent of the electricity generated to Pakistan’s national grid without appropriate revenue sharing with the region. This resource extraction without adequate compensation has fueled significant resentment among locals.

Economic indicators further underscore the region’s disadvantaged status, with unemployment and poverty rates exceeding Pakistan’s national average, reaching as high as 10.3 percent. Earlier this year, protests over electricity prices and flour shortages turned deadly when paramilitary forces opened fire, killing at least four demonstrators and injuring more than 100, prompting emergency meetings in Islamabad.

The unrest in PoK has emerged against the backdrop of significant development initiatives in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Major infrastructure projects including the Chenab Rail Bridge and Anji Khad Bridge have enabled the introduction of the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express service. The completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail line has established all-weather rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India.

Tourism in Kashmir has reportedly reached historic highs with nearly 2.1 crore visitors in 2024, generating substantial local employment and revenue. The reopening of cinema halls after more than three decades signals cultural revival alongside physical infrastructure development.

Regional observers note that these contrasting trajectories—deteriorating conditions in PoK versus development initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir—have complicated Pakistan’s long-standing narrative regarding Kashmir. The ongoing protests represent not only a challenge to Islamabad’s domestic policies but potentially to its broader geopolitical positioning on the Kashmir issue.

As demonstrations continue despite the crackdown, the situation highlights the significant governance challenges facing Pakistan in a region it claims to champion but where growing evidence suggests systemic failures in addressing fundamental needs and aspirations of the local population.