For almost two months, life in Azad Kashmir was disrupted. The government shut down normal activities because of large JAAC protests against high electricity and wheat prices. Since June, many areas have had roadblocks and internet shutdowns. This has hurt businesses, interrupted students’ education, and made it hard for people to stay connected with their families.
The Shift: Election Season Begins
Even though the region is still highly tense and heavily guarded by police, the upcoming general elections are moving forward. Voting is set to start in phases across different districts. Suddenly, top politicians from Pakistan are flooding into Azad Kashmir to hold massive rallies and ask for votes.
Internet Used for Votes?
During a recent campaign rally, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari made a big announcement. He took credit for getting the mobile internet turned back on in the Mirpur area after a 45 day blackout. He claimed his party pressured the Election Commission to make it happen, and he is now asking for it to be turned back on in other cities too.
What is the government saying
The government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), along with Pakistan’s federal government, has officially banned the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) under anti-terrorism laws. The government says some radical members of the group acted as “agents of chaos” and had ideological links and active support from non-state militant groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Basic Rights Are Not Favors
People living in Kashmir are calling out this clear hypocrisy. For weeks, the government ignored the internet blackout while local businesses suffered. Now that politicians need the internet to run their own election campaigns, the connection is magically being restored.
