Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK)

In a strongly worded statement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is “incomplete” without the territory under Pakistan’s control, referring to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

What is Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK)?

• Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), once part of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, was illegally occupied by Pakistan in 1947.
• PoK comprises Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB),
• The region shares borders with several international locations:
  • to the west, it borders Pakistan's Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • to the north-west, it borders Afghanistan's Lakhan Hall
  • to the north, it adjoins China's Xinjiang province
  • to the east, it borders India's Jammu and Kashmir
• Glacial lakes: Chitta Katha Lake, Ratti Gali Lake ,Shounter, Saral Lakes, Baghsar Lake, Banjosa Lake, Ganga Lake and the Subri Lake
• Major rivers: Kishanganga / Neelum, Jhelum, Poonch River
• The region occupies a strategic geographic location that serves as a crucial link between China and Pakistan.
• China’s Growing Interests in PoK

• China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC): The CPEC project is a flagship initiative involving Chinese investments in infrastructure, trade routes, and energy projects. PoK is an integral part of this corridor, which connects China's Xinjiang region to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port. The CPEC passes through Gilgit-Baltistan, and its strategic positioning gives China access to the Arabian Sea and vital trade routes.
• Infrastructure Development: China is heavily investing in roads, railways, and energy projects within PoK, making it a key element of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

History of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK)

• Before the partition, Jammu and Kashmir was a princely state under the British Empire. When India and Pakistan gained independence in August 1947, the princely states were given the option to join either of the new nations or remain independent.
• Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, initially sought to keep the state independent. However, the region was soon engulfed in a wave of turmoil, setting the stage for a larger conflict.
  • The Uprising and Infiltration of Pashtun Tribesmen: In the same year, Poonch (a district in Jammu and Kashmir) saw an uprising against Maharaja Hari Singh's rule. The uprising, fueled by oppressive taxes, spread rapidly, weakening the Maharaja's control over the region. During this period, Pashtun tribesmen from Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) entered Jammu and Kashmir, with the support of the Pakistani Army. Their primary goal was to wrest control of the region and end the Maharaja's rule.
  • By October 1947, these tribal invaders had seized significant portions of the region, including Muzaffarabad (the current capital of PoK) and Baramulla.
• Instrument of Accession: Faced with this grave situation, Maharaja Hari Singh sought assistance from India. India’s response to the Maharaja's request for help was conditional. India agreed to send military assistance, but only if the Maharaja signed the Instrument of Accession (IoA), which would formalize Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India. The IoA would grant India control over the state’s defense, foreign affairs, and communications.
  • Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26, 1947, and Indian troops were swiftly dispatched to Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, to defend the region. This marked the beginning of the first Indo-Pakistani war.
• The two countries fought wars over Kashmir in 1947-48 and 1965. They formalised the original ceasefire line as the Line of Control in the Simla Agreement, but this did not prevent further clashes in 1999 on the Siachen Glacier, which is beyond the Line of Control.
• The situation was further complicated by an Islamist-led insurgency that broke out in 1989. India gave the army additional authority to end the insurgency under the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
• Despite occasional reviews of the AFSPA, it still remains in force in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
• Since the 1947-48 war, Jammu and Kashmir has remained a highly contested territory, with both India and Pakistan claiming sovereignty over the entire region.