Pakistan’s Hard-State Turn in Azad Kashmir Is Creating the Very Crisis It Seeks to Prevent

FrameTheGlobeNews  |  Frank Genovese

Pakistan's recent "hard-state turn" in Azad Kashmir, characterized by increased coercion, political centralization, and significant democratic deficits, is paradoxically generating the very crisis Islamabad seeks to avert. For decades, Pakistan has consistently advocated internationally for the Kashmiri cause, asserting the people of Jammu and Kashmir's right to self-determination.

This shift in governance within Azad Kashmir risks severely undermining Islamabad's long-term Kashmir narrative, which relies on portraying itself as a champion of Kashmiri rights and democratic aspirations. The author contends that these internal policies could erode Pakistan's moral standing on the global stage, weaken its diplomatic leverage in international forums regarding the Kashmir dispute, and potentially fuel internal unrest or disillusionment among the Kashmiri population under its administration. Such actions could destabilize the region, complicate future resolution efforts, and ultimately strengthen opposing narratives, thereby creating the crisis Pakistan aims to prevent.

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