Why are there protests in PoK? | Explained

Mass protests erupted in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (also called Azad Jammu and Kashmir / AJK) in 2026, led primarily by the Joint Awami Action Committee ...

What Happened

Mass protests erupted in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (also called Azad Jammu and Kashmir / AJK) in 2026, led primarily by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a civil society coalition of traders, lawyers, transporters, and students.
The immediate trigger was the demand for abolishing 12 reserved "refugee seats" in the AJK Legislative Assembly — seats allocated to Kashmiri refugees residing in Pakistan who fled after 1947 — which local residents see as giving political representation to non-residents over the concerns of those living in the territory.
Broader demands include lower electricity tariffs, increased subsidies for wheat and essential commodities, greater local control over hydroelectric project revenues, and administrative reforms.
The Government of Azad Kashmir banned the JAAC under anti-terrorism legislation on June 5, 2026; clashes followed, with three civilians killed and around 40 injured in Rawalakot.
India's Ministry of External Affairs noted the unrest, reiterating India's position that the entire territory of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir — including Pakistan-occupied areas — is an integral part of India.

Static Topic Bridges

Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir: India's Constitutional and Legal Position

India's consistent official position is that the entire territory of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), legally acceded to India through the Instrument of Accession signed in October 1947 by Maharaja Hari Singh. This accession is considered final and legally valid under international and constitutional law.

The Instrument of Accession was signed on October 26, 1947, under the Indian Independence Act, 1947.
In February 1994, the Indian Parliament unanimously passed a resolution affirming that the entire territory of Jammu and Kashmir, including areas under Pakistan's control, is an integral part of India and demanding that Pakistan vacate its occupied areas.
After the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A in August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into two Union Territories — Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh — under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
The J&K Legislative Assembly retains 24 seats reserved for representatives from PoK, which remain vacant, symbolizing India's territorial claim.
The Indian government refers to Pakistan-administered areas as "Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir" (POJK) and "Pakistan-Occupied Ladakh."

Connection to this news: The protests in PoK over governance failures reinforce India's argument that Pakistan lacks legitimate authority over the territory and that the region's population has unresolved political and economic grievances under Pakistani administration — a point India regularly raises in bilateral and multilateral forums.

The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and Civil Society Movements

The JAAC is a grassroots, multi-constituency civil society coalition that emerged in 2022–23 as a platform for political and economic grievances in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Unlike traditional political parties, it brings together a broad coalition of professional and civic groups around a specific charter of demands.

The JAAC comprises traders, transporters, lawyers, students, and civil society organizations in a 31-member core coalition.
It was formed in 2022–23, with mass protests beginning in May 2023 over skyrocketing electricity bills and wheat shortages.
Its 38-point Charter of Demands covers both immediate economic relief (electricity tariff reduction, wheat subsidies) and long-term structural changes (hydroelectric revenue sharing, administrative accountability).
The demand to abolish the 12 refugee seats reflects a political grievance: those seats are contested by Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan proper, who are seen by AJK residents as outsiders wielding legislative power over local affairs.
The AJK Supreme Court upheld the constitutional protection of the refugee seats, ruling any change requires a formal constitutional amendment.

Connection to this news: The JAAC's trajectory — from an economic grievance movement to a politically banned organization — illustrates the dynamics of civil society suppression in a territory with contested sovereignty, a theme relevant to UPSC questions on governance, human rights, and Pakistan's democratic deficits.

The 12 Refugee Seats: Historical and Political Dimensions

The 12 reserved seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly for Kashmiri refugees are a unique constitutional provision in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, rooted in the unresolved status of the Kashmir dispute.

The 45-member AJK Legislative Assembly includes 12 seats reserved for refugees from Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (6 for Kashmir Valley refugees, 6 for Jammu region refugees) who now live in Pakistan proper.
These seats were created with the assumption that the Kashmir dispute would be resolved and refugees would return — an assumption that has not materialized over 75+ years.
Crucially, refugees who live in AJK itself are not eligible to contest these reserved seats — only those living in Pakistan outside AJK can.
Local AJK residents argue this arrangement gives legislative power to non-residents, distorting local political representation.
The dispute is not merely about seats but about the broader question of political agency and self-governance in a territory Pakistan controls but whose ultimate status remains contested.

Connection to this news: The 12-seat controversy is a direct product of the unresolved Kashmir dispute — an example of how the 1947 Partition's unfinished business continues to generate institutional anomalies with real political consequences, relevant to UPSC questions on the Kashmir issue and governance in contested territories.

Instruments of Accession and the Legal Basis of the Kashmir Dispute

The legal foundation of India's claim to PoK rests on the Instrument of Accession, a constitutional document through which princely states joined India or Pakistan at Independence.

Under the Indian Independence Act, 1947, princely states could accede to India or Pakistan by signing an Instrument of Accession.
The Instrument gave the dominion Parliament the right to legislate on defence, external affairs, and communications for the acceding state.
Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument on October 26, 1947, after Pakistani-backed tribal forces invaded Kashmir on October 22, 1947.
The UN Security Council passed Resolution 47 (1948) calling for a plebiscite to determine the future of Kashmir — this plebiscite has never been held.
India's position is that since the conditions for the plebiscite (withdrawal of Pakistani forces) were never met, the accession stands as final.

Connection to this news: Every time PoK features in the news — whether through protests, elections, or governance crises — UPSC can test the foundational legal framework of the Kashmir dispute: the Instrument of Accession, UN Resolution 47, and India's 1994 parliamentary resolution.

Key Facts & Data

Instrument of Accession signed: October 26, 1947, by Maharaja Hari Singh.
Pakistan-backed tribal invasion: October 22, 1947.
UN Security Council Resolution 47: 1948 (called for plebiscite, never held).
Indian Parliament's unanimous resolution on PoK: February 22, 1994.
Article 370 abrogated: August 5, 2019; J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 created two UTs.
AJK Legislative Assembly: 45 elected seats + 12 refugee seats (total 45 general + 12 refugee = 49 members including reserved categories).
JAAC banned under anti-terrorism legislation: June 5, 2026.
J&K Legislative Assembly retains 24 seats reserved for PoK representatives (currently vacant).