FOLLOWING intensive negotiations between the special committee appointed by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the Awami Action Committee (AAC) of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the ongoing protest has ended.
The prolonged strike, while rooted in some public demands, severely disrupted daily life particularly for; patients, travelers, business community, students, and the broader public. The AJK government, under Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq, failed to engage with the AAC in a timely and meaningful way, reflecting serious issues in governance and political responsiveness. The situation deteriorated further as a result of clashes between protestors and police, leading to casualties both deaths and injuries that could have been avoided through early dialogue and a more compassionate approach by the administration. The absence of strategic foresight and lack of empathy from the political leadership of AJK, including a large ministerial team, only escalated tensions from September 29 to October 3, 2025. The state’s reliance on force, coupled with the protestor’s resorting to violence, created a distressing and unfortunate crisis that cast a shadow over both AJK and Pakistan.
Notably, this was the second major protest by the Awami Action Committee after a similar uprising in May 2024 in the administration of same leadership. These repeated demonstrations highlight a deepening disconnect between the people and the AJK government, raising serious questions about administrative effectiveness and internal unity. Whether it is inefficiency or political infighting within the ruling circle, the result is the same: a loss of public trust.There is an urgent need for a representative and accountable government in AJK, one that truly reflects the will of its people. Simultaneously, the lavish perks and privileges enjoyed by AJK legislators, ministers, and bureaucrats must be reevaluated. A disproportionate share of the state budget is spent on these benefits, which is untenable especially given Pakistan’s broader economic crisis. Rationalizing such expenditures should be a national priority, not only in AJK but also across all provinces and at the federal level.
It is deeply unfortunate, yet predictable, that the Indian media and government sought to exploit the unrest in AJK for propaganda purposes. Attempting to sow discord between Pakistan and the Kashmiri people is a longstanding part of Indian anti Pakistan evil designs and narrative strategy. However, such efforts are futile. The bond between the people of Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir is deeply rooted in shared history, culture, faith, and geography.The people of Jammu and Kashmir have centuries-old ties with the regions that now constitute Pakistan. Long before 1947, there existed a relationship of interdependence through trade, migration, intermarriage, and cultural exchange. Following the Lahore Resolution of 1940 and the announcement of the Indian partition plan on June 3, 1947, Kashmiri leaders prepared for accession to Pakistan.On July 19, 1947, Kashmiri leadership passed a historic resolution in Srinagar, calling for the state’s accession to Pakistan. Leaders like Khawaja Ghulam-ud-Din Wani and Abdul Rahim Wani played pivotal roles in this decision. The rationale was clear: geographical contiguity, overwhelming Muslim majority, and a shared vision of a sovereign Islamic state.
However, India manipulated the partition process, particularly through the controversial Radcliffe Award that allowed India access to Kashmir via Gurdaspur; an unnatural and politically motivated link. The people of Kashmir, denied their fundamental right to self-determination by India since 1947. Their uprising against Maharaja Hari Singh’s regime led to the establishment of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government, which has since functioned with substantial autonomy under Pakistan’s patronage. AJK enjoys significant legislative and financial autonomy. Its government makes judicial and executive appointments independently, with support but not interference from Pakistan. In stark contrast, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) has seen a consistent erosion of autonomy, culminating in its illegal annexation by India on August 5, 2019. This move reduced the region to a union territory and violated both international law and UN resolutions.Since the onset of the current phase of resistance in 1990, over 100,000 Kashmiris have been martyred by Indian forces. Today, nearly a million Indian troops are deployed in IIOJK, operating under laws that grant them complete impunity that facilitate widespread human rights abuses.
The abrogation of Article 370 has only deepened their commitment to self-determination. India’s current strategy involves demographic engineering issuing domiciles to non-Kashmiri Hindus while revoking the citizenship of native Muslim residents who oppose the occupation. This is a calculated attempt to alter the identity and future of the region.
The people of IIOJK continue their struggle, not merely for autonomy, but for the realization of a dream to join Pakistan. Despite unimaginable suffering, they have not surrendered their right to self-determination. Their cause remains just, and their spirit remains unyielding. The road to peace in South Asia runs through Kashmir. Lasting stability will only be possible when India honors its international commitments and allows the people of Jammu and Kashmir to decide their own future. The Kashmir dispute has transcended a territorial disagreement; it has become a humanitarian crisis.
India cannot use isolated incidents in AJKto deflect attention from its systematic and violent suppression of the Kashmiri people in IIOJK. The people of Pakistan and Kashmir share deep, unbreakable bonds rooted in history, identity, and sacrifices; ties that cannot be undone by propaganda or manipulation. The connection is not just emotional; it is intrinsic. Pakistani blood runs through the veins of Kashmiris, just as Kashmiri blood runs through the veins of Pakistanis.
The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic
University, Islamabad.
