GS Paper: GS2-17.India and its neighborhood

Why in the News?

Simmering discontent over inflation and opaque governance in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has escalated into a violent security crackdown. The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) is leading opposition to a three-phase election and to 12 seats reserved for refugees in the 53-seat legislature. The unrest exposes the gap between an establishment-backed electoral process and a local demand for genuine political representation.

Who are the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC)?

1. The JKJAAC is an alliance of civil society groups leading the protest movement in PoK. It has been protesting in Rawalakot, Muzaffarabad, and other locations.
2. Demand: It seeks a more representative political system and removal of the reserved seats. It alleges the current election process is rigged.

What is Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)?

1. Definition: PoK is the part of the former princely State of Jammu and Kashmir under Pakistan’s control since 1947. India regards it as territory under illegal occupation.
2. Two Regions: Pakistan administers the area as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan.
3. India’s position: The Ministry of External Affairs maintains that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of India. It asserts Pakistan is in illegal and forcible occupation and considers local laws or elections void.

How did a price protest become a movement for representation?

1. Origins: The movement emerged after the COVID-19 pandemic to curb the prices of essential items. It evolved over the years into a protest against the lack of local political representation.
2. Legislature structure: The PoK legislature has 53 seats, of which 45 are elected and 8 are nominated. Of the 45 elected seats, 12 are reserved for refugees of Indian Jammu and Kashmir who migrated after 1947.
3. Grievance over reserved seats: Voters for these 12 seats cast ballots from outside PoK. Locals claim the reserved seats reduce regional representation and let Islamabad override local concerns.
4. Escalation: The JKJAAC called a “long march” after authorities proceeded with the election without addressing the demand. The protest gained momentum after a PhD scholar was reportedly killed in police firing in Rawalakot.

Why is Islamabad’s relationship with PoK strained?

1. Developmental neglect: Mainstream parties have not met the region’s developmental aspirations. Locals allege long-standing neglect by Islamabad.
2. Inflammatory rhetoric: The Pakistan Defence Minister called the protesters “enemies just like Indians”. The remark inflamed public sentiment.
3. Parallel with other regions: The complaints echo those long voiced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Both regions have seen protests and insurgencies for decades.
4. Rigging allegations: The second phase of polling drew allegations of irregularities. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz swept the phase, enabling it to form the regional government.

How have India and international actors responded?

1. India’s condemnation: The Ministry of External Affairs blamed the Pakistani establishment for the deaths of over 40 civilians. It called the ongoing polls a cosmetic exercise to camouflage illegal occupation.
2. JKJAAC’s distancing: The committee rejected any Indian attempt to appropriate the movement. It stated the civil rights movement is neither a proxy nor an extension of interstate rivalries.
3. Amnesty International: Amnesty urged Pakistan to restore communications access and allow media and independent observers. It responded to a communication blackout in PoK.
4. United Kingdom diaspora: Non-resident Mirpuri Kashmiris with a strong presence in the UK began an online campaign. It urges restraint on Pakistan’s security establishment.

Conclusion

The unrest reflects a contest between an establishment-managed election and a local movement rejecting its political basis. The current status is a continuing three-phase poll amid a deadly crackdown and a communication blackout. Whether the protests subside depends on whether Islamabad addresses the demand over reserved seats, which it has so far refused.

Back2Basics

1. PoK: Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, part of the former princely State of Jammu and Kashmir under Pakistan’s control since 1947; India treats it as illegally occupied territory.
2. Legislature: The PoK assembly has 53 seats, 45 elected and 8 nominated, with 12 elected seats reserved for post-1947 refugees.
3. Line of Control: The military control line dividing Indian and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, formalised after the Shimla Agreement of 1972.
4. India’s stance: The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India, with Pakistan in illegal and forcible occupation of parts of them.