In March 2024, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that all individuals belonging to both the Hindu and Muslim communities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are integral to our nation.
His statement came in the context of implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019.
Speaking at India Today Conclave 2024, Amit Shah said Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) "is a part of India". He further said both "Muslims and Hindus in PoK are part of India".
'Azad Kashmir', smaller and more populated, is often used by Pakistan as a propaganda tool to project an image of “Kashmiri self-determination.”
Gilgit-Baltistan, on the other hand, is treated purely as a colony—a landmass valuable for its location, resources, and military advantage.
Azad Kashmir, officially called “Azad Jammu and Kashmir” (AJK), lies in the southern part of PoK.
Despite the grand claim of “Azad” (meaning “free”), it is anything but independent.
Azad Kashmir has its own government, prime minister, and a legislative assembly, but all meaningful powers—especially defense, foreign policy, and constitutional matters—rest firmly in the hands of Islamabad.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Kashmir Affairs effectively governs the region, ensuring that real autonomy remains a myth. The region covers about 13,297 square kilometers and is home to roughly 4 million people.
Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) was historically part of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which is now an important component of India as a result of the decision to sign the Instrument of Accession. Still, it was illegally occupied by Pakistan in 1947.
At the time of India’s independence in 1947, the British surrendered their lawsuit over the princely states and permitted them to choose between joining India or Pakistan or staying independent.
The POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) is officially separated into two sections known in official languages as Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
‘Azad Jammu and Kashmir’ is also acknowledged as Azad Kashmir in Pakistan.
The Azad Kashmir Provisional Constitution Act, 1974, governs Azad Kashmir (AJK). Azad Kashmir (AJK) has a President, Prime Minister, and council, but the political structure has no power and is subject to the Pakistani government.
Major cities like Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, and Bagh serve as administrative centers, but the common people have little say over their political destiny. In stark contrast, Gilgit-Baltistan, formerly known as the Northern Areas, occupies the vast northern expanse of POK, covering nearly 72,496 square kilometers—more than five times the size of Azad Kashmir.
This mountainous region is strategically crucial, sharing borders with China, Afghanistan, and India’s Ladakh. Unlike Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan is directly administered by Pakistan without even the facade of autonomy until 2009, when a limited self-governance order was introduced. Even today, the people there have no constitutional recognition within Pakistan and are denied representation in the Pakistani Parliament.
Islamabad’s grip on Gilgit-Baltistan remains tight because of its immense strategic value: the Karakoram Highway passes through it, linking Pakistan to China’s Xinjiang province.
The difference between the two regions lies not just in their governance but in the scale of Pakistan’s strategic exploitation.
While Azad Kashmir has managed to establish a limited local political structure, Gilgit-Baltistan remains disenfranchised, its people denied the basic democratic rights Pakistan claims to champion.
Speaking at an event in the national Capital to unveil a statue of Upendra Nath Brahma, the patriarch of Assam’s Bodo community, Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the Narendra Modi government will not spare any terrorist.
“Whoever has carried out the dastardly attack in Pahalgam, we will not spare anyone. We will hunt down each and every perpetrator,” he said.
“The Modi government has been pursuing a zero-tolerance policy against terrorists. If someone thinks they will escape by carrying out such a cowardly attack, they are wrong. This is Narendra Modi’s government. We will not spare anyone,” he added.
When it comes to the map of Jammu and Kashmir, a vital truth often gets blurred under diplomatic caution and international distractions: Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are not independent lands, but territories illegally occupied and administered by Pakistan since 1947.
Together known as Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), these regions are key parts of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which legally acceded to India.
Their story is not one of free will, but of manipulation, political control, and the creation of a launchpad for militancy against India.
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