People in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are facing what a report by Athens-based outlet Directus describes as “horrendous and gruesome” treatment at the hands of Pakistani security forces, as authorities impose sweeping blockades to suppress protests demanding constitutional rights. The report, published on 1 July, details a coordinated crackdown involving road closures, communication blackouts, and the deliberate choking of food and medicine supplies across the region.

The Blockade and Its Impact

According to the Directus report, Pakistan’s army has effectively sealed off PoK through a series of coordinated restrictions, triggering acute shortages of essential food commodities and life-saving medicines. Routes to major cities including Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot have reportedly been sealed by Islamabad, isolating protesters from the rest of the region. Petrol pumps have remained closed and public transport services suspended, bringing normal life to a standstill.

Vegetables are reportedly being sold at three to four times their normal prices, as Pakistani security forces have allegedly prevented supplies from entering the region. Markets across the occupied territory have, according to international media reports cited by Directus, run out of fresh vegetables and fruits, with ordinary residents struggling to access even basic ration supplies.

Voices from the Ground

Abdul Majid Awan, a resident of Muzaffarabad, was quoted by Directus as saying: “We even tried bringing medicines from Rawalpindi in our own carrier vehicle, but the police did not allow us to enter Muzaffarabad, saying permission had not been granted.”

Sociology student Hasib Siddique said: “The state is so broke that our army now raids homes in Kashmir, ransacking cabinets and taking from families already crushed by shortages.” The report noted that CCTV footage allegedly showed security personnel conducting house raids and confiscating remaining supplies.

Communication Blackout and Social Media Resistance

The report highlighted that restrictions on news reporting, combined with the suspension of internet and satellite services, have severely curtailed the flow of information about ground conditions. Despite this, residents have reportedly managed to convey their situation to the outside world through social media and contacts based outside Kashmir.

Videos circulating on social media purportedly show Kashmiris gathered near halted supply trucks and raising slogans against Pakistan. A user identified as Burhanuddin wrote on X: “Food transport vehicles heading to Kashmir are being stopped by the Pak Army and not allowed to enter the region. The army has intensified pressure in Kashmir; even food supply deliveries are being restricted. Generals are trying very hard to repeat the history of Bangladesh.”

What the Report Says About Islamabad’s Approach

The Directus report was pointed in its assessment of the Pakistani government’s response to the protests. “The Islamabad government and Pakistan’s military did not want Kashmiris to voice their concerns and sought to suppress the ongoing protests without holding any meaningful dialogue,” it stated, adding: “Smother people. Crush their spirit. How? Stop their access to food, medicines, and social communication.”

Paramilitary forces have reportedly been deployed across PoK to prevent residents from obtaining food supplies. The report argued that Islamabad has taken a “hostile stance” towards Kashmiris, disrupting the region’s lifeline through road and administrative blockades and the destruction of livelihoods largely dependent on tourism.

What Comes Next

The situation in PoK remains fluid, with no indication of dialogue between Pakistani authorities and protest leaders. The reported blockade, if sustained, risks deepening the humanitarian crisis in a region already under significant economic strain. International attention, amplified by social media accounts from residents and diaspora, may increase pressure on Islamabad to ease restrictions.