PoJK Crisis: International Leader Calls Pakistan 'Rogue State' as Deadly Protests Rage

The political turmoil rocking Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has now reached the international stage. Speaking from Geneva, Jamil Maqsood, a prominent leader of the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP), didn't mince words, flatly calling Pakistan a "rogue state" with a clear history of oppressing its own citizens.

Maqsood asserts that after witnessing this persistent suppression, the patience of the people in PoJK has run out. He claims their major goal is no longer just autonomy, but a full "reunification with the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir," as they are no longer willing to live under Pakistani rule. While Pakistan is attempting to use force to silence these dissenting voices, Maqsood insists the people are simply "not ready to be silenced."

His remarks coincide with days of intense and bloody clashes across the region, particularly in Muzaffarabad. Thousands initially took to the streets to protest crippling economic conditions and, specifically, the outrageous privileges enjoyed by the political class—things like free, unlimited electricity and expensive official vehicles.

The government response has been brutal. At least ten people have been killed and scores critically injured after security forces clashed violently with protestors. Reporters on the ground described streets "stained with blood and littered with spent bullet casings," a stark indicator of the violence's scale. In a clear attempt to control the narrative, authorities also blocked internet and mobile services and reportedly warned local media against covering the daily demonstrations.

The public’s fury is palpable. As one 51-year-old protester told AFP, "The politicians here behave like gangsters ruling over our heads; we want them gone and their privileges removed." Maqsood further warns that this pattern of human rights violations—from the denial of fundamental rights in PoJK to suppression in Balochistan and Sindh—is evidence of Pakistan's systemic issue with its own populace.