Islamabad, Aug 2 (IANS) The unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) unfolds as Islamabad is experiencing persistent instability in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), making it part of a wider debate over governance, political representation, and human rights inside the country, a report stated.
“This convergence of multiple regional crises has intensified questions among analysts regarding Pakistan’s long-term internal stability,” the report on the Directus news website said.
The crisis in PoK centres on the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which called for greater political autonomy, institutional reforms and increased self-governance in PoK.
In 2025, JAAC and the government reached an agreement, but the protest leaders argue that the authorities failed to implement key commitments, leading to the current escalation.
“According to reports, Pakistan’s authorities gradually shifted their strategy from negotiation to enforcement. The situation deteriorated rapidly in early June. Among the movement’s principal demands was the abolition of 12 reserved parliamentary seats allocated to Kashmiri refugees residing elsewhere in Pakistan,” highlighted the report.
The Supreme Court of PoK has rejected the request, and the senior federal officials declared that the constitutional arrangement would remain unchanged.
“Only days later, regional authorities designated the JAAC a terrorist organisation, dramatically escalating tensions. The situation worsened further after security forces conducted an operation targeting senior JAAC figure Umar Nazir Kashmiri, who reportedly survived with injuries, while his associate Shahzaib Habib was killed during the incident, according to accounts cited by protest organisers,” the report added.
The report also noted that the protest leaders raised the possibility of looking towards India.
“One of the most politically sensitive developments has been statements attributed to JAAC leader Sardar Aman Khan, who warned that continued blockades and shortages of food and medicine could lead some residents to reconsider their political future,” it highlighted.
According to the report, the latest escalations suggest that PoK has evolved into a broader political and security challenge with regional-level consequences from a localised protest movement.
“As demonstrations continue, international scrutiny grows, and political tensions deepen, the crisis is no longer confined to the disputed territory itself. It now intersects with wider geopolitical rivalries involving India, Pakistan, China and Western governments, making Kashmir once again one of South Asia’s most volatile flashpoints,” added the report.
–IANS
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