Opinion | POJK: The Land Calling for Liberation

The demands of the people of POJK are evident from the protests they have staged on the streets. Several viral videos show protesters boldly lifting the Indian flag and calling for integration with India, the country they rightfully belong to. These powerful visuals highlight the suppressed voices of a population yearning for liberation and justice.

Among the many global issues, the human rights violations in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) remain one of the most overlooked. Every day, we hear accounts of atrocities and injustices suffered by the people of POJK. In my earlier writings, I have detailed how Pakistan forcibly took control of this region, now known as POJK, along with Pakistan-Occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB). To briefly recap, during the tumultuous period of partition, when Jammu and Kashmir was grappling with the decision of whether to accede to India or Pakistan, Pakistan attempted to seize the region through force. The Pakistani tribals, backed by their army, invaded Kashmir, leaving Maharaja Hari Singh with no option but to seek assistance from New Delhi. Consequently, he signed the Instrument of Accession, formally uniting Jammu and Kashmir with India. While the Indian Army pushed back the invaders, they could not fully reclaim the territory due to a United Nations-mediated ceasefire in 1949, which solidified the division and left POJK in control of Pakistan. This occupation has since become a symbol of both grave human rights violations and the region’s prolonged struggle for peace. In this article, I aim to shed light on the legitimate demands of the people of POJK and the ongoing atrocities they endure.
In the past five years, Pakistan and its agencies have miserably failed in perpetuating terrorism in Kashmir to the extent they did in the past. When I hear stories from the 1990s, it becomes evident that Kashmir was almost under the control of Pakistan through terrorist organizations like Hizbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and others. However, the current government and security forces in India have effectively dismantled these networks, forcing terrorists to surrender or fall to their knees. As a result, Kashmir has seen a relatively better and more stable situation in recent years. Meanwhile, the part of our land under Pakistan’s control, known as POJK, continues to suffer under the oppressive rule of Pakistan’s army and its agencies. The people there are treated like cattle, exploiting their land for resources and its strategic location. For instance, Pakistan-Occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB), a lesser-reported yet geopolitically significant part of POJK, is home to the world’s second-highest peak, Mount Godwin-Austen (K2), and the largest freshwater glacier systems outside Antarctica. It also forms Pakistan’s only land border with China, a strategic advantage Islamabad uses to align itself with Beijing against India. This year, widespread protests erupted in POJK over unjust taxation policies imposed by the Pakistani government. However, instead of addressing the grievances of the local population, the protests were met with brutal crackdowns, arbitrary detentions, and violence. Reports continue to highlight increasing incidents of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and suppression of dissent, painting a grim picture of human rights violations in the region.
The people of POJK continue to suffer under Pakistan’s oppressive regime, with countless instances highlighting their brutal treatment. The assassination of prominent rights activist Arif Shahid in 2013 remains unresolved, with allegations of ISI involvement underscoring the absence of accountability. Political activists such as Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri have faced arbitrary detentions and threats for advocating autonomy and raising human rights concerns. Similarly, student activists from the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP), including Ali Shamraiz and Raja Noman Asif, were subjected to torture for protesting oppressive government policies. In a particularly shocking incident, Ehsan Ali Advocate, a human rights activist from Gilgit-Baltistan, was arrested by Punjab Police while en route to a human rights conference in Islamabad, sparking outrage and protests across the region. These instances vividly illustrate the Pakistani establishment’s relentless efforts to silence dissent in POJK. One more instance that underscores the plight of POJK and POGB residents is the story of Mohammad Khalid Khurshid Khan, a 44-year-old former Chief Minister of Pakistan-Occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB). Hailing from a prominent political family of the Shina-speaking Shina Muslim community in Diamer-Astore districts, he has been on the run like a petty fugitive for over a year due to politically motivated charges. Recently, he was shockingly sentenced to a draconian 34-year prison term by a local Kangaroo court in Gilgit under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The compromised judge deemed him a “security threat” to the Pakistani state, a charge widely seen as baseless and politically engineered. If a former Chief Minister of POGB can be treated with such blatant injustice, one can only imagine the systemic oppression faced by ordinary residents of POJK and POGB at the hands of Pakistan’s Punjabi Muslim ruling elite in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Lahore.
The demands of the people of POJK are evident from the protests they have staged on the streets. Several viral videos show protesters boldly lifting the Indian flag and calling for integration with India, the country they rightfully belong to. These powerful visuals highlight the suppressed voices of a population yearning for liberation and justice. Global organizations must not remain silent on this matter; it is imperative for them to intervene and address the grave human rights violations. The people of POJK, like anyone else, deserve to live with dignity and equal rights. Tragically, they are being strategically kept in poverty, with their natural resources exploited by the elite ruling class in Islamabad. POJK is truly a land crying out for liberation and justice.
Conclusion
This article is more than just a collection of data; it is my way of staging a protest against the brutal forces of Pakistan that engineer violence and perpetuate brutality against our people in POJK. While I may not be able to resist physically, I will use my words as a weapon to stand against this injustice. Writing is my form of protest, and through it, I aim to amplify the voices of the oppressed. As Kashmiris, we have never accepted the ISI-backed terrorism imposed upon our homeland, and we will never accept it in the illegally occupied POJK. We fervently hope that global organizations concerned with human rights and justice will hold Islamabad accountable and help the people of POJK reclaim their rights, enabling them to live with peace, dignity, and freedom.
Email: Vadiekashmir@gmail.com