PoK Unrest: India Condemns Pakistan’s Brutal Crackdown

PoK Unrest: India Condemns Pakistan’s Brutal Crackdown

September 29, 2025—As tensions escalate along the Line of Control (LoC), India has issued a scathing condemnation of Pakistan's heavy-handed crackdown on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), describing it as "horrific human rights violations" that demand international accountability. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, labeled the violent suppression of demonstrations in Muzaffarabad and other PoK towns as a "natural consequence of Pakistan's oppressive approach," highlighting reports of at least 10 deaths, hundreds injured, and an internet blackout imposed to stifle dissent. This outburst comes amid a complete shutdown observed across PoK on September 28, protesting against economic hardships, wheat price hikes, and alleged demographic changes favoring non-Kashmiris.

The unrest, which began on September 25 with calls for a "Freedom March," has seen thousands take to the streets, demanding the repeal of Pakistan's controversial domicile laws and an end to resource exploitation. Pakistani security forces' response—tear gas, baton charges, and live ammunition—has drawn sharp rebuke from New Delhi, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stating in Parliament that "Pakistan must be held accountable for its barbaric actions against innocent civilians." Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi echoed this, warning of "state-sponsored terrorism" spilling over from PoK into Jammu and Kashmir.

This flare-up, the most violent since the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, reignites longstanding Indo-Pak tensions over the disputed region. With the LoC witnessing increased ceasefire violations—three incidents reported on September 28 alone—the situation risks broader escalation. As protests enter their fifth day, with funeral processions drawing thousands in defiance of curfews, India's stance is clear: PoK's turmoil is a direct result of Islamabad's misrule. In this comprehensive 2000-word analysis, we examine the unrest's roots, India's diplomatic salvo, Pakistan's repressive tactics, historical precedents, global responses, and the path to de-escalation. On a day when the Valley's autumn leaves fall amid rising voices, PoK's cries echo across the border—India's condemnation a call for justice in a land long divided.

The Spark of Unrest in PoK: Economic Woes and Political Grievances

The current wave of protests in PoK, erupting on September 25, 2025, stems from a confluence of economic desperation and political alienation, exacerbated by Pakistan's recent policies that locals decry as exploitative. The All Parties National Alliance (APNA), a coalition of pro-independence groups, called for the "Freedom March" in Muzaffarabad, demanding the repeal of the 2020 domicile law, which grants residency rights to non-Kashmiris, diluting the region's demographic fabric. This legislation, modeled on India's abrogation of Article 370, has fueled fears of "settler colonialism," with protesters alleging it facilitates land grabs by Pakistani elites and Punjabi settlers.

Economic triggers amplified the fury: A 40% hike in wheat prices, coupled with electricity tariffs doubling to Rs 25 per unit, has pushed households to the brink in a region where 70% live below the poverty line, per World Bank data. PoK's budget, largely funded by Islamabad (90% grants), has seen allocations slashed by 15% in 2025 amid Pakistan's IMF bailout conditions, leaving infrastructure crumbling and unemployment at 25%. Demonstrators, waving black flags and chanting "Azadi" (freedom), blockaded the Muzaffarabad-Baghdad highway, halting trade worth Rs 50 crore daily.

The spark ignited when security forces clashed with marchers on September 26, killing two in Kotli and injuring 50, per eyewitness accounts shared on social media before the internet shutdown. By September 28, the shutdown spread to Mirpur and Rawalakot, with 10 deaths reported from gunfire and beatings. APNA leader Sardar Amjad Yousaf called it "Pakistan's Article 370," drawing parallels to India's 2019 move that integrated Jammu and Kashmir. The unrest, echoing 2016's Burhan Wani protests, exposes PoK's fragility—a powder keg of grievances where economic distress meets political disenfranchisement.

India's Official Response: A Diplomatic Firestorm

India's condemnation of Pakistan's crackdown was swift and unequivocal, with the MEA summoning Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner on September 28 to lodge a strong protest. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a September 29 briefing, termed the violence "horrific violations of human rights," demanding an independent probe and end to the "oppressive regime" in PoK. EAM S. Jaishankar, addressing the UN General Assembly on September 28, linked the unrest to Pakistan's "export of terror," stating, "The blood on PoK streets is on Islamabad's hands—accountability is non-negotiable."

The government's response blended diplomacy with domestic outreach: PM Narendra Modi tweeted on September 29, "PoK's cries for justice echo in every Indian heart—Pakistan's brutality must end," garnering 2 million likes. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh directed Army units along the LoC to heighten vigilance, reporting a 20% spike in ceasefire violations since September 25. In Parliament, Home Minister Amit Shah introduced a resolution condemning the crackdown, passed unanimously, calling for UN intervention.

India's stance reframes PoK as an internal issue, asserting that the unrest validates the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, which integrated Jammu and Kashmir. Jaishankar reiterated in a Lok Sabha speech: "Pakistan's misrule in PoK is self-evident—their bullets betray their claims." This diplomatic salvo, amplified by media campaigns on Doordarshan and All India Radio, aims to galvanize international opinion while bolstering domestic support ahead of state elections.

Pakistan's Crackdown: Tactics and Casualties

Pakistan's response to the PoK protests has been marked by a multi-pronged crackdown, combining brute force with information control to quell the uprising. Security forces, led by the Pakistan Rangers and Frontier Corps, deployed tear gas and rubber bullets on September 26 in Muzaffarabad, escalating to live rounds by September 27, resulting in 10 confirmed deaths, including two teenagers in Kotli. Eyewitness videos, smuggled via VPNs before the blackout, show baton charges on women protesters and arbitrary arrests of 200, including APNA leaders.

The internet shutdown, imposed on September 27 under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, severed mobile data and social media in PoK, affecting 5 million users. Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) justified it as "preventing misinformation," but Amnesty International decried it as "digital siege." Curfews in Mirpur and Rawalakot, enforced by 5,000 troops, have led to shortages of essentials, with hospitals overwhelmed by 500 injuries from pellets and fractures.

Islamabad's narrative frames the protests as "Indian-sponsored agitation," with PM Shehbaz Sharif blaming "external forces" in a September 29 address. Yet, APNA's demands—rooted in local grievances—undermine this, highlighting Pakistan's failure to deliver on autonomy promises since 1947.

Historical Context: PoK's Long Shadow of Unrest

PoK's turmoil is no aberration; it's the latest chapter in a 78-year saga of simmering discontent since the 1947 partition. The region, comprising Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, has chafed under Islamabad's control, with uprisings in 1955, 1974, and 1988 demanding self-rule or independence. The 1989 insurgency, backed by Pakistan's ISI, morphed into militancy, claiming 40,000 lives by 2000.

Pakistan's 2009 Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment Order granted limited autonomy, but 2020's domicile reforms—mirroring India's Article 370 revocation—ignited fresh fury, seen as demographic engineering. Economic neglect—PoK's GDP per capita at $800 vs Pakistan's $1,500—fuels protests, with wheat hikes (from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,800 per 50kg) the latest trigger. India's 2019 move integrated J&K, reframing PoK as "illegally occupied," a stance Jaishankar reiterated at the UN: "PoK's people yearn for the democracy denied by Pakistan." History's unrest recurs, PoK's grievances a perennial powder keg.

International Reactions: Calls for Restraint and Probes

The global response to PoK's crackdown has been muted but growing, with human rights bodies and allies urging de-escalation. Amnesty International's September 29 statement condemned the "excessive force and internet blackout," calling for an independent UN probe. Human Rights Watch echoed, documenting 10 deaths and 500 arrests as "state repression."

The US State Department, in a September 29 release, "urged restraint on both sides of the LoC," while the EU Parliament's foreign affairs committee scheduled a debate for October 5. China, Pakistan's all-weather ally, remained silent, but India's UN envoy Parvathaneni Harish pressed for Security Council attention. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, tweeted: "Disturbing reports from PoK—urge dialogue over violence." As calls mount, the world watches PoK's protests, a litmus for South Asia's stability.

Implications for Indo-Pak Relations: A Fragile Ceasefire Tested

The PoK unrest tests the 2021 ceasefire agreement, with 25 violations reported since September 25, including artillery duels in Poonch. India's condemnation, linking it to "cross-border terrorism," revives 2019's Balakot airstrike rhetoric, with Army Chief Dwivedi warning of "calibrated responses." Pakistan's rebuttal—"Indian interference"—risks escalation, though backchannel talks via the DGMO hotline on September 29 de-escalated immediate threats.

Bilateral ties, thawed slightly by the 2024 SCO summit, face strain: Trade, halted since 2019, remains nil, while SAARC's dormancy persists. The unrest bolsters India's narrative on PoK integration, potentially influencing UN resolutions. As Jaishankar noted, "Pakistan's internal chaos can't justify external aggression." For stability, dialogue via the Indus Waters Treaty forum could bridge, but PoK's fires flicker fragile peace.

Conclusion

September 29, 2025, spotlights PoK's unrest as a clarion call for justice, India's condemnation of Pakistan's crackdown a defiant demand for accountability amid 10 deaths and silenced voices. From Muzaffarabad's marches to MEA's missives, the turmoil traces economic despair to political perfidy, history's haunt recurring. As global gazes turn, Pakistan's talks offer truce's thread, but India's resolve rings resolute: PoK's people deserve peace, not pellets. In the shadow of the Pir Panjal, cries for azadi echo—may dialogue dawn before dusk deepens.