What is POK?

The region of Jammu and Kashmir, nestled in the Himalayas, is a land of breathtaking beauty and enduring conflict. At the heart of this conflict lies Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), a term India uses to describe the portion of Jammu and Kashmir under Pakistan’s control since 1947. Comprising Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan, PoK spans approximately 78,115 square kilometers and remains a focal point of the India-Pakistan rivalry, fueling wars, skirmishes, and geopolitical tensions. This story traces the origins of PoK, the wars fought over it, and its lasting impact on the subcontinent, drawing from historical accounts and recent developments.

The Roots of the Conflict: Partition and Accession

The story begins with the Partition of British India in August 1947, when the subcontinent was divided into two independent nations: Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan. The princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, ruled by Hindu Maharaja Hari Singh, was the largest of its kind, covering 222,236 square kilometers with a diverse population—77% Muslim, 20% Hindu, and the rest Sikhs, Buddhists, and others. Under the Indian Independence Act, princely states could choose to join India, Pakistan, or remain independent. Hari Singh, wary of both nations, initially sought independence, hoping to preserve his state’s autonomy.

In October 1947, the situation escalated. An uprising in Poonch, sparked by punitive taxes imposed by Hari Singh, fueled discontent among the Muslim peasantry, many of whom were demobilized soldiers from World War II. Seizing the opportunity, Pakistan-backed Pashtun tribesmen from the North-West Frontier Province, supported by Pakistani military personnel, infiltrated Jammu and Kashmir, capturing Muzaffarabad and Baramulla. The invasion aimed to seize the region and force its accession to Pakistan. Overwhelmed, Hari Singh sought India’s military assistance. India agreed, but only on the condition that he sign the Instrument of Accession, formally integrating Jammu and Kashmir into India on October 26, 1947, ceding control over defense, foreign affairs, and communications. Indian troops were airlifted to Srinagar, marking the start of the First India-Pakistan War.

The First India-Pakistan War (1947–1948): The Birth of PoK

The First India-Pakistan War was a brutal conflict that shaped the Kashmir dispute. Indian forces pushed back the invaders, recapturing key areas, while Pakistan consolidated control over parts of western Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. In Gilgit, the Gilgit Scouts, a paramilitary force led by British officers, rebelled against Hari Singh and declared allegiance to Pakistan, securing Gilgit-Baltistan by November 1947. By 1948, the war reached a stalemate, with India controlling roughly 55% of Jammu and Kashmir (including the Kashmir Valley, Jammu, Ladakh, and the Siachen Glacier) and Pakistan holding 30%, which became known as PoK, with China later occupying 15% (Aksai Chin and parts of the Trans-Karakoram Tract).

India sought United Nations intervention, leading to UN Security Council Resolution 47 on April 22, 1948, which called for a ceasefire, Pakistan’s withdrawal from occupied areas, and a plebiscite to determine Kashmir’s future. However, demilitarization never occurred, and the plebiscite was never held due to mutual distrust. On January 1, 1949, a UN-mediated ceasefire established the Line of Control (LoC), a de facto border dividing Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir from PoK, with Muzaffarabad as the capital of AJK. The term “Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir” became India’s official designation for AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, while Pakistan refers to it as “Azad (Free) Kashmir,” claiming it was liberated.

The Second India-Pakistan War (1965): Operation Gibraltar

Tensions persisted, and in August 1965, Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar, infiltrating trained guerrillas into Indian-administered Kashmir to incite a rebellion. The operation failed due to lack of local support, but it triggered the Second India-Pakistan War. Fighting spread across the LoC, with Pakistan capturing the Haji Pir Pass and India retaliating with advances into Pakistani territory, including Lahore’s outskirts. The war saw the largest tank battle since World War II, with thousands of casualties on both sides.

The conflict ended in a stalemate after Soviet and U.S. diplomatic intervention led to the Tashkent Declaration on January 10, 1966. Both sides agreed to a ceasefire, restoring pre-war boundaries along the LoC. India returned strategic areas like Haji Pir Pass to Pakistan, a decision later criticized by some as a missed opportunity to reclaim PoK. The war did not alter PoK’s status but deepened the rivalry, with Pakistan continuing to support insurgencies in Kashmir.

The Third India-Pakistan War (1971): A Focus on Bangladesh

The 1971 war, while primarily about Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan, had implications for Kashmir. Triggered by Pakistan’s crackdown on East Pakistan’s Bengali population, the war saw India intervene on behalf of Bangladesh, culminating in the surrender of over 90,000 Pakistani troops. India captured 15,010 square kilometers of Pakistani territory, including parts of PoK, but returned it under the Simla Agreement of 1972, which formalized the LoC and emphasized bilateral resolution of disputes. Some, as noted in X posts, argue that India missed a chance to leverage its victory to reclaim PoK, citing U.S. and Soviet pressure to avoid escalation and the logistical challenges of PoK’s terrain.

The Kargil War (1999): A High-Altitude Conflict

In May 1999, Pakistan-backed militants and regular troops infiltrated Indian-administered Kashmir’s Kargil district, occupying high-altitude peaks during the winter when Indian forces had vacated them. The incursion aimed to cut off the Srinagar-Leh highway, isolating Ladakh. India launched Operation Vijay, recapturing most peaks after intense battles. The conflict, costing over 1,000 lives, ended with India restoring the LoC by July 1999. Pakistan faced international condemnation for violating the Simla Agreement, and the Kargil War underscored PoK’s strategic role as a base for cross-border operations.

The Siachen Conflict (1984–Present): A Frozen Battleground

The Siachen Glacier, part of the broader Kashmir dispute, became a flashpoint in 1984 when India launched Operation Meghdoot, securing control of the glacier and the Saltoro Ridge to counter Pakistan’s cartographic claims, influenced by U.S. maps erroneously showing the region as Pakistani territory. The conflict, fought at altitudes above 20,000 feet, continues with both sides maintaining heavy military presence despite a 2003 ceasefire. PoK’s proximity, particularly Gilgit-Baltistan, makes it a logistical hub for Pakistan’s operations in the region.

Recent Developments: Escalation in 2025

On April 22, 2025, a militant attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, killed 26 people, including 25 Indian tourists and one Nepalese national. India attributed the attack to Pakistan-backed groups, a claim Pakistan denied. On May 6, 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine targets in Pakistan and PoK, escalating tensions to their highest since 2019. The operation, involving missile strikes across the LoC, has raised fears of a broader conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors. Global leaders, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres and U.S. President Donald Trump, have urged de-escalation.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs reiterated on May 13, 2025, that PoK is an integral part of India, demanding Pakistan vacate the region. X posts reflect public sentiment, with some users like @SudarshanNewsTV amplifying India’s stance, while others, like @Ravi3pathi, highlight the lack of Hindu families in PoK and criticize past Indian decisions to return captured territory.

The Human and Geopolitical Cost

PoK, comprising AJK (13,297 sq km) and Gilgit-Baltistan (64,818 sq km after ceding 5,180 sq km of Shaksgam Valley to China in 1963), has a population of about 5.2 million, predominantly Muslim, with minorities like Hindu Pandits, Buddhists, and Sikhs. Its economy relies on agriculture, tourism, and remittances, with a 74% literacy rate but limited infrastructure. AJK operates under a nominal self-governing structure, with Pakistan retaining ultimate control, while Gilgit-Baltistan gained limited autonomy in 2009.

The region’s strategic importance stems from its borders with Pakistan’s Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor, China’s Xinjiang, and Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan’s leasing of Shaksgam Valley to China and China’s Belt and Road Initiative projects in Gilgit-Baltistan underscore PoK’s geopolitical significance. India views these developments as encroachments, while Pakistan’s support for cross-border terrorism remains a flashpoint.

The human toll of the Kashmir conflict is staggering. The 1947–48 war displaced thousands, and subsequent conflicts, including the 1989 insurgency in Indian-administered Kashmir, fueled by Pakistan-backed groups, led to over 70,000 deaths. The 2019 revocation of Article 370, stripping Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy, intensified tensions, with India’s 2024 elections establishing a powerless union territory government under New Delhi’s control. PoK residents face protests over inflation and limited political rights, reflecting ongoing unrest.

The Path Forward: A Fragile Hope

The story of PoK is one of ambition, betrayal, and unresolved aspirations. India’s claim to PoK as part of its territory, rooted in the 1947 Instrument of Accession, clashes with Pakistan’s narrative of liberation. The LoC, a 740-kilometer scar, symbolizes the enduring stalemate. Past peace efforts, like the 2003 ceasefire and Modi’s early overtures to Pakistan, have faltered amid mutual distrust and incidents like the 2016 Uri and 2019 Pulwama attacks.

For the people of PoK and Indian-administered Kashmir, the conflict has meant loss, displacement, and militarization. The 2005 earthquake in AJK, killing over 100,000, highlighted the region’s vulnerability, yet reconstruction efforts have been slow. X posts reflect polarized views: some demand India reclaim PoK through military action, while others lament historical missteps, like Nehru’s UN appeal or the Simla Agreement’s concessions.

The 2025 escalation underscores the fragility of the status quo. As nuclear-armed neighbors, India and Pakistan face global pressure to avoid full-scale war, but the Kashmir dispute, with PoK at its core, remains a tinderbox. A lasting resolution requires addressing the aspirations of Kashmiris, bilateral dialogue, and international mediation—challenges that have eluded both nations for nearly eight decades.

Sources

• Jagran Josh: “History of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK)”
• BBC: “Kashmir: Why India and Pakistan fight over it”
• Council on Foreign Relations: “Conflict Between India and Pakistan”
• Unacademy: “Facts and History about Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK)”
• India Today: “What is the story behind Pakistan occupied Kashmir?”
• Wikipedia: “Kashmir conflict”
• Wikipedia: “Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts”
• The New York Times: “A Timeline of India and Pakistan’s Tensions Over Kashmir”
• U.S. Department of State: “Milestones in the History of U.S. Foreign Relations”
• Time: “India and Pakistan: A Timeline of Tensions Over Kashmir”
• Unacademy: “Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK)”
• SPS Land Forces: “Facts that Led to the Creation of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir”
• Jagran Josh: “15 Interesting Facts and History about Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK)”
• Wikipedia: “Azad Kashmir”