PoJK Unrest Lays Bare Decades Of Neglect, Sparks Global Attention

The seriousness of the matter can be gauged from the very fact that it is quite rare for British Parliamentarians to criticise Islamabad – with whom the UK continues to have a symbiotic relationship. But no democracy can turn a blind eye when an Army continues to hold a country to ransom.   

Deteriorating Conditions

PoJK remains heavily dependent on subsistence agriculture, foreign remittances, and federal subsidies. The region faces severe developmental challenges, high costs of living, a lack of basic amenities, and resource management, which have prompted unrest. The region reels under slow infrastructure development. Basic civic amenities such as clean drinking water, reliable power grids, and functioning roads remain limited. Industrial development is scarce, leading to a shortage of formal jobs and high youth unemployment. 

The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which leads the protests in the PoJK, is driven by a comprehensive 38-point Charter of Demands. These demands are categorised into two main factors: immediate economic relief and long-term structural changes. The JAAC demands significantly reduced power tariffs for local consumers, calculated based on the production cost of electricity generated from local hydro-projects. 

The recent protests have spread across the entire region of the PoJK, as protesters, among other demands, seek the repeal of the reservation of 12 seats for the “refugees” from the state of Jammu and Kashmir, who are not residing in occupied Kashmir, but in different parts of mainland Pakistan. The protests hit at the very foundations of Pakistan’s control over the PoJK.

The “legislative assembly” of occupied Kashmir has 45 seats. Of these, 12 have been reserved for the people who are not living there but are spread across Pakistan, particularly in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh. They constitute more than one-fourth of the total number of seats in the occupied Kashmir assembly. Without the support of these 12 members, no government can remain stable in occupied Kashmir. It is evident that the Pakistan government is using these 12 seats as a means of direct interference in the governance and administration of occupied Kashmir. 

Economic Stagnation

In PoJK, persistent economic stagnation and rising living costs have placed a significant strain on households. Despite its strategic importance, the region has not benefited from sustained investment in infrastructure or long-term economic planning. 

Roads, power networks, and public services remain limited, and many areas continue to rely on outdated or temporary facilities. This stagnation is closely tied to the territory’s ambiguous constitutional status, which restricts local decision-making, leaving major development priorities dependent on Islamabad’s political calculations rather than regional needs.

On the other hand, Jammu and Kashmir has seen a marked increase in economic activity, driven by both public and private investment: streamlined regulations, new land use policies, and targeted incentives for industry. The region has attracted commitments worth thousands of crores across sectors such as manufacturing, renewable energy, tourism, pharmaceuticals, and information technology. Industrial estates in Jammu, Kathua, and Pulwama have expanded, while new industrial parks and logistics hubs are being developed to integrate the region more closely with national supply chains. Tourism has also benefited from improved infrastructure and marketing, with record visitor numbers in recent years. These developments have collectively contributed to a more diversified economic base and a more predictable investment climate.

Agriculture, which supports a large share of the population, has undergone significant modernisation efforts, including improved cold storage facilities and scientific horticulture, besides the introduction of new crop varieties, while investments in roads, power projects, tourism facilities, and industrial estates have contributed to a gradual shift toward greater self-sufficiency. 

Initiatives in sports, education, entrepreneurship, and public services have also broadened opportunities for segments of the population, generating a sense of forward momentum. 

A stark contrast is observed between the developmental momentum in Jammu and Kashmir, which reflects a more stable and forward-looking trajectory, and the entrenched economic and political discontent in PoJK. As the unrest in the PoJK captures global attention, the economic condition in the region, too, comes to the fore. 

(The writer is a commentator on geopolitics and geoeconomics. Views expressed are personal.)