Forgotten Voices Across the Line of Control: Why the Silence on Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir?

Forgotten Voices Across the Line of Control: Why the Silence on Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir?

For decades, political discourse in Jammu and Kashmir has often been dominated by debates over human rights, democratic freedoms, security policies, and relations between India and Pakistan. Whenever a major incident occurred in the Kashmir Valley, political parties, activists, and separatist groups were quick to issue statements, organize protests, and demand international attention.

Yet recent developments in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), known in Pakistan as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), have raised an uncomfortable question: Why do many political voices that frequently speak about rights and freedoms remain largely silent when unrest and allegations of rights violations emerge across the Line of Control?

PoK Witnesses Its Most Serious Unrest in Years

Over the past two years, Pakistan-administered Kashmir has experienced repeated waves of protests driven by economic grievances, political representation, and demands for greater local autonomy. The movement has largely been spearheaded by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a coalition of traders, lawyers, transporters, students, and civil society activists.

The latest unrest erupted in June 2026 after authorities banned the JAAC and moved against its leadership. The immediate trigger was a dispute over 12 reserved legislative seats allocated to refugees from Jammu and Kashmir who reside elsewhere in Pakistan. Protest leaders argued that only residents of PoK should determine the region's political future.

Violent clashes followed. According to Reuters and other international reports, at least 11 people were killed and more than 70 injured during confrontations between protesters and security forces in Rawalakot and surrounding areas. Authorities subsequently imposed restrictions, registered sedition cases against protest leaders, suspended internet services in some areas, and announced rewards for the arrest of key activists.

Streets Fall Silent, Anger Grows

The unrest brought major towns, including Muzaffarabad, to a standstill. Markets remained closed, transport services were suspended, and security forces maintained a heavy presence throughout the region.

Local residents insist that their movement is not directed against Pakistan itself but against what they see as political marginalization and economic injustice.

One resident, Zahid Amin, described the shutdown by saying:

> "Every shop, every market, every lane, every street is shut."

Another local, Mohammad Aziz, appealed for dialogue rather than confrontation:

> "These people are not against Pakistan. They are asking for their rights."

These voices reflect a growing sentiment among sections of PoK's population that local concerns—including governance, electricity tariffs, resource sharing, and political representation—have not received adequate attention.

Human Rights Questions Resurface

International rights organizations and observers have expressed concern over the response to the protests. Amnesty International criticized the crackdown and called attention to arrests, restrictions on assembly, and communication blackouts. Reports from rights groups and researchers over the years have also raised concerns regarding political freedoms, freedom of expression, and limitations on dissent in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The controversy has renewed debate over whether the standards applied to human rights discussions in one part of Kashmir are being applied equally to another.

The Contrast Many Kashmiris Notice

Whenever incidents occur in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, political reactions are often immediate and intense. Statements are issued, protests are organized, and national as well as international attention follows.

However, many observers point out that comparable developments in PoK rarely generate the same level of concern among mainstream Kashmiri political actors. The recent deaths of protesters, arrests of activists, internet restrictions, and sedition cases have received relatively limited attention from political groups that frequently invoke the language of human rights and democratic accountability.

Critics argue that if rights are universal, concern for Kashmiris should not depend on which side of the Line of Control they live on. Whether in Srinagar, Baramulla, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, or Rawalakot, they contend, the principles of justice, dignity, and political representation should remain the same.

Beyond Politics

The current unrest in PoK is ultimately a story about ordinary people demanding a greater say in their governance. It is a story of traders closing markets, students joining demonstrations, families coping with uncertainty, and citizens asking difficult questions about their future.

The events unfolding across the Line of Control have highlighted a reality often overlooked in broader geopolitical debates: the people of Pakistan-administered Kashmir have their own aspirations, grievances, and demands that extend beyond the India-Pakistan dispute.

As protests continue and tensions remain high, one question echoes across the region: if the rights of Kashmiris matter, should they not matter equally for all Kashmiris?

The answer to that question may define the credibility of future debates on Kashmir, human rights, and democratic accountability.