For seventy-five years, Pakistan has projected itself as the self-appointed custodian of Kashmir. It has bled India with a thousand cuts, sent terrorists across the Line of Control, and screamed in every international forum about so-called “Indian oppression” in Jammu and Kashmir. But today, the truth is catching up with them. The streets of Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Kotli, Rawalakot, and Neelum Valley—the very soil they claim as “Azad Kashmir”— are erupting. Shops shut, roads blocked, voices raised. Not for jihad, not for Pakistan, not for some separatist fantasy—but for the right to cheap electricity, affordable flour, dignity, and local representation. And what is Pakistan’s answer? Bullets. Curfews. Internet blackouts. This is the reality of “Azadi” under Islamabad’s jackboot.

To understand what Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK)’s protests mean, let us recall three other turning points. Xinjiang (China’s Uyghurs): In 2009, riots broke out in Urumqi. Beijing’s response was brutal—mass surveillance, re-education camps, a crackdown so harsh that the UN now calls it possible “crimes against humanity.” A local grievance was crushed, but at the cost of China’s global image. Kashmir Proper (India): In 2016, after the killing of Burhan Wani, the Valley saw mass protests. India responded firmly, but in 2019 our government took the boldest step—abrogating Article 370. Jammu and Kashmir was fully integrated into the Union of India. Today, despite challenges, the Valley is under the Indian Constitution, elections are being restored, and development is reaching villages. Balochistan (Pakistan): In 2006, the killing of Akbar Bugti re-ignited Baloch anger. For decades now, the province has seen insurgency, repression, and resentment. More recently, Gwadar’s “Haq Do Tehreek” demanded water, electricity, and dignity—met again with force. PoK today lies somewhere between Balochistan and Kashmir: an exploited colony where people demand rights, and a state that responds with boots and batons.

Think about the irony. For years, Pakistan shed crocodile tears for the........

© Blitz