PoK and Its Administration: A Reality Check

Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, also simply called PoK, consists of the area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), which have been occupied by Pakistan since 1947.

- SYED AALIYA

On partitioning British India, the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was presented with the option of joining either India or Pakistan. In 1947, Pakistan occupied Kashmir, compelling Maharaja Hari Singh to accede the Instrument of Accession to India. In spite of this, Pakistan took possession of parts of the state by force and is currently involved in a conflict that still impacts the region to date. This conflict has influenced the daily activities of individuals in PoK.

The life in PoK is full of political and administrative ills. Although Pakistan asserts that AJK functions autonomously, but the ground reality is quite the contrary. In spite of having symbolic heads, the region still is in the iron grip of Islamabad. The Ministry of Kashmir Affairs retains control over key matters such as defense, foreign affairs, and management of resources, giving the individuals of AJK very little control over their own territory. So is the case of Gilgit-Baltistan. The Gilgit Baltistan Order of 2018, which was supposed to grant greater autonomy, further centralized power in Islamabad. People from this area are not represented in Pakistan's national assembly, and so it becomes difficult for their concerns to be heard. Anyone who tries to raise a question or becomes an opponent of this arrangement meets brutal repression, ranging from harassment to imprisonment. Reporters and activists who criticize corruption or military abuses are targeted, and frequently arrested or forced into exile. Fundamental services such as healthcare and education continue to be inadequate, and the region's natural resources are plundered without the benefit of the local population.