The former Indian Ambassador to Iran, Dinkar P Srivastava, has expressed deep concern over Pakistan’s management of civil unrest in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK). Srivastava criticized Islamabad’s heavy-handed military tactics and inconsistent messaging toward local demonstrators, particularly in areas like Mirpur and Rawalakot, where protests have grown increasingly intense. He argued that the government’s shifting narrative has done little to address the underlying issues fueling the unrest.
Srivastava pointed out how the initial response to the demonstrations was dismissive, with Pakistan’s defense minister openly questioning the identity of the protesters. Initially claiming that the people of Mirpur and Rawalakot were not Kashmiris, the official later reversed course, calling the same protesters 'enemies of Pakistan.' This sudden about-face, Srivastava explained, highlights the stark contradiction in Islamabad's long-standing strategy of leveraging the Kashmiri diaspora to support its geopolitical claims while now disavowing the very people who embody that identity.
He emphasized the human toll of the crackdown, citing data from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. According to the report, at the start of June, security forces had killed 15 protesters. By the end of July, that number had risen to 57, and as of now, it has reached 80. Srivastava noted that in a region with just 3 million people, the loss of 80 lives is both alarming and indicative of the growing intensity of the conflict. The Human Rights Council of Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (HRC-PoJK) reported that 33 civilians were killed before July 27, and 43 people have been killed since then across Rawalakot, Mirpur, and Muzaffarabad, along with four Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir police personnel.
Srivastava attributed the unrest to decades of systemic neglect and abuse of power by the Pakistani government. The local population, he said, faces severe economic hardship, with reports of flour shortages in 2022 and extreme price disparities in basic utilities. For example, he noted that while people in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa pay 1.10 rupees per unit for water, residents of POJK are charged just 15 paisa per unit, a discrepancy that reflects broader resource allocation failures.
He also highlighted the manipulation of electoral processes in POJK, where Islamabad reserves 20 out of 53 legislative seats for non-resident Kashmiris. Srivastava argued that this system allows the central government to install parties aligned with its interests while sidelining those that represent the local population. This tactic, he said, undermines genuine democratic representation and fuels public anger.
Srivastava contrasted the situation in POJK with the Indian side of Kashmir, where regional parties have been in power for over half a century. He said the stark difference in governance models has left the people of POJK feeling isolated and marginalized. Despite violent crackdowns, bans on protest groups like the Joint Awami Action Committee, and widespread electoral boycotts, the local population continues to resist. These demonstrations, Srivastava concluded, have stripped the POJK administration of legitimacy and exposed the deep-rooted issues that continue to plague the region. International organizations, including Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), have raised concerns about state-backed violence, restrictions on independent reporting, enforced disappearances of journalists, and prolonged internet shutdowns, urging Pakistani authorities to end the crackdown, restore communication services, and ensure transparent investigations into alleged human rights violations.