Opinion | Kashmir Rejects Pakistan’s ‘Violence-Marred Elections’ in PoJK

We cannot occupy someone’s house, decide who will govern it, and dictate the future of its members while subjecting them to every form of hardship and misery. This is precisely the picture reflected in the recently concluded elections in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), where Pakistan continues to exercise control while the people face unrest, violence, protests and growing political dissatisfaction. An election is supposed to be a celebration of democracy. In Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, however, the latest electoral exercise unfolded against a backdrop of violence, protests, boycotts, bloodshed and allegations of manipulation. What was presented as a democratic process instead raised a much larger question: can an election be held amid fear, unrest and suppression truly reflect the will of the people?

Imagine your house is divided into two. How would you feel if anything happened in the other part of that house? That is what happened to Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan divided it, snatched a part of it, and attempted to invade the whole of Jammu and Kashmir. Today, around 35% of Jammu and Kashmir remains under Pakistan’s brutal and illegal occupation for over seven decades; PoJK and PoGB. These occupied regions have remained far from growth and progress, with the clouds of poverty, inflation and a lack of basic amenities always hovering over them. These regions lack proper roads and hospitals and are yet to receive constitutional and provincial status within Pakistan. Holding what can only be described as a theatre of elections in these occupied regions is nothing but an attempt by Pakistan to deceive the world into believing that these regions exercise democratic rights and are free to choose their government. But we all know who actually controls that government.

As of now, PoJK is witnessing huge turmoil, with reports of deaths, detentions and injuries emerging as a shock. People have been demanding relief from poverty, tariffs and inflation, along with better governance and constitutional reforms. However, Pakistan’s response has been so brutal that it has set the occupied region on fire, resulting in deaths, chaos and widespread unrest. Amid this turmoil, Pakistan went ahead with elections, which in itself is a reflection of what I would call a dictatorial and uncompassionate approach.

The elections were originally scheduled to be held in a single phase on 27 July, but the unrest forced Pakistan to reschedule them into three phases, held on 27 July, 2 August and 10 August. The polling days were marked by violence, boycotts and bloodshed, as Al Jazeera reported more than 20 deaths on the first day of polling which led to its banning in Pakistan, while unverified reports claimed a much higher death toll. These elections are nothing but an attempt to mask Pakistan’s brutal and illegal occupation of PoJK and its people. PoJK is and shall remain an inseparable part of Jammu and Kashmir and, therefore, of India. Jammu and Kashmir lawfully acceded to India under the Instrument of Accession in 1947, making the entire territory of Jammu and Kashmir, including PoJK and PoGB, part of the Indian Union. Therefore, we reject Pakistan’s move to hold forced elections or any form of so-called democratic exercise to legitimise or conceal its control over the region. Such an exercise not only violates the emotional and political sentiments of the Kashmiri people but also attempts to undermine the choices and aspirations of the people of PoJK. We strongly and unequivocally protest against Pakistan for holding elections in a region that rightfully belongs to Jammu and Kashmir but remains under Pakistan’s illegal occupation and control. The boycott low turnout and unrest of the elections itself reflect the growing rejection of Pakistan’s political system by the people of PoJK. Pakistan cannot alter the historical position of Jammu and Kashmir merely by holding elections under the shadow of guns. The world knows the historical truth of Jammu and Kashmir, and no electoral exercise can erase it.

If it was a free, fair and credible electoral process, why did allegations of rigging and unfair vote count surface immediately after polling? That is because Pakistan knows that PoJK reject its control, and rigging is a way to influence and control electoral outcomes. It appears to be a two-sided game: on one hand, Pakistan wants to show the world that democratic elections are being held in PoJK, while on the other, it disregards people’s mandate, it rigs elections to control the electoral outcome and the political system. If the people of PoJK genuinely have political freedom, why does Pakistan not allow strong regional political parties to grow in PoJK, as they have in Jammu and Kashmir, where parties such as the JK PDP, JKNC and JKPC operate? The reason, critics argue, is that a strong regional party in PoJK could emerge as a powerful opposition that does not necessarily echo Islamabad’s views. If the people of PoJK are genuinely satisfied with the existing system, why not listen to their demands and reconsider the controversial 12 reserved seats? The pattern raises serious questions about whether the electoral process is genuinely intended to empower the people or simply to create an appearance of democracy while maintaining Pakistan’s political control over PoJK.

In a nutshell, this move is meant to legitimize control and mask Pakistan’s occupation of PoJK. We, the people of Kashmir, clearly reject Pakistan’s move to hold elections in PoJK. PoJK is lawfully and legally a part of Jammu and Kashmir and, hence, an inseparable part of India. Any attempt to hold administrative, political or electoral exercises in PoJK is a violation of the emotions and choices of the people of Kashmir, as well as an infringement upon India’s sovereignty and national integrity. The world remains a witness to the historical fact that PoJK and PoGB are parts of Jammu and Kashmir. We urge the international community to come forward, seek accountability for Pakistan’s conduct in PoJK, and pressure Pakistan to end its occupation of the region and hand it back to its lawful and rightful owner, Jammu and Kashmir, and thereby India.

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