Pakistan's Kashmir Narrative Crumbles: Unrest in PoJK and UN Exposé Paint a Grim Picture

A seismic shift is underway, revealing the profound cracks in Pakistan’s carefully constructed narrative on Kashmir. As widespread protests ignite across Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) over crushing economic hardships, a prominent Kashmiri activist simultaneously delivered a scathing exposé at the United Nations, laying bare Pakistan’s deeply entrenched hypocrisy and its use of terror as a state policy.

These twin developments offer an unprecedented glimpse into the true state of affairs, challenging the very foundation of Pakistan's claims.

For weeks, the streets of PoJK, particularly the 'Azad Jammu and Kashmir' (AJK) region, have echoed with the desperate cries of its people. What began as simmering discontent has erupted into a massive, unprecedented shutdown, driven by crippling inflation, exorbitant electricity tariffs, and a severe shortage of essential commodities like flour.

The Awami Action Committee (AAC), a broad-based movement, spearheaded the protests, uniting diverse sections of society against what they perceive as systemic exploitation by Pakistani authorities. Local residents are not merely protesting price hikes; they are railing against the siphoning off of their natural resources, with projects like the Mangla Dam generating immense profits that primarily benefit Islamabad, leaving the local populace in dire straits.

Their demands are clear: fair pricing for electricity, a subsidy on flour, and an end to unjust taxation. The Pakistani state's response has been a heavy-handed crackdown, deploying paramilitary forces, suspending mobile services, and imposing internet blackouts – tactics characteristic of a regime desperate to silence dissent rather than address legitimate grievances.

Parallel to this internal uprising, the international stage witnessed a dramatic unmasking of Pakistan's duplicity.

At the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Kashmiri activist Junaid Qureshi delivered a powerful statement that resonated globally. Qureshi, who has tirelessly advocated for human rights in Pakistan-occupied territories, didn't mince words. He unequivocally accused Pakistan of using terrorism as an instrument of state policy, highlighting its direct support for notorious terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen.

He detailed how Pakistan has systematically suppressed fundamental freedoms in PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, denying self-determination to its inhabitants while ironically advocating for it elsewhere. Qureshi’s testimony served as a stark reminder that Pakistan, which frequently positions itself as a victim on the global stage, is in fact a primary perpetrator of human rights abuses and state-sponsored terrorism in the region.

The convergence of these events paints an undeniable picture: Pakistan’s long-standing narrative on Kashmir is crumbling under the weight of its own contradictions.

The widespread protests in PoJK are not merely economic; they are a profound rejection of Pakistani rule and a powerful assertion of the local populace's right to self-determination and dignity. Coupled with damning international revelations, these developments reveal a nation struggling to maintain a façade while its internal and external policies unravel.

The world is watching, and the truth about Pakistan’s true intentions and actions in Kashmir is becoming increasingly undeniable.