Washington, August 15, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Months of unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have raised fresh questions over Islamabad’s longstanding claim of representing the interests of Kashmiri Muslims, with a US-based report alleging a heavy security crackdown, prolonged internet restrictions and curbs on foreign media access.
According to a report by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), the unrest began in June as a cost-of-living movement led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a coalition of local politicians, business leaders and activists.
The protesters initially focused on rising electricity prices but also called for greater political autonomy for the region.
The report said Pakistani authorities responded with measures including the banning of JAAC under counterterrorism legislation, suspension of internet services and a security crackdown in which several civilians were killed.
Citing Kashmiri novelist and journalist Mirza Waheed, the report described the security response as involving indiscriminate force and a communications blackout that left the region isolated. It also said some wounded protesters reportedly avoided hospitals because of fears of retaliation.
The unrest continued as Pakistan conducted legislative assembly elections in PoK in three phases between July 27 and August 10. Authorities put voter turnout at more than 50%, while organisers supporting a boycott disputed the figure.
Questions over transparency were further heightened by restrictions on foreign journalists. Pakistan’s Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026 require foreign journalists to obtain a No-Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to travel for reporting to cities outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, according to the report.
MEMRI said the combination of restricted media access and the internet shutdown made independent verification of reported casualties, arrests and the scale of the security response extremely difficult.
The report argued that the developments presented a broader ideological challenge for Islamabad. Pakistan’s founding political narrative was based on the two-nation theory and the stated need to provide security and self-rule to Muslim-majority communities in the subcontinent. The protests in PoK, however, have involved residents challenging the policies and governance of Pakistani authorities.
According to the report, the ban on the leading civic coalition, prolonged communication restrictions and reported deaths during the crackdown have intensified questions about Pakistan’s claims regarding political freedom and reform in PoK.
The report also noted the impact of the restrictions on residents, particularly those in Muzaffarabad, where the communications blackout continued during the election period.
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