Residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have endured an internet blackout for more than 100 days, with mobile data and broadband services suspended or severely restricted since 5 June 2026, according to a detailed report by Greece-based outlet Geopolitico. The prolonged communications shutdown has crippled online banking, disrupted commercial activity, and forced the postponement of entrance examinations for students across the territory.

How the Shutdown Began

The internet disruption followed the eruption of protests led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), which initially mobilised residents over rising electricity tariffs and the cost of essential commodities. The movement rapidly broadened into a demand for political reforms, greater accountability, and representative governance. Analysts have described the confrontation as the most extensive clash between the local population and the Pakistani state in decades, involving deadly violence and allegations of police brutality — with numerous videos circulated on social media by the JKJAAC and others documenting what they describe as the conduct of Pakistani forces.

Internet Remains Cut Off Even After Elections

Voting for elections held in PoK was disrupted or did not take place in protest strongholds, reportedly on security grounds. A government was subsequently constituted in PoK based on results from constituencies where polling did proceed. However, internet services have not been restored even after the electoral process concluded, underscoring that the blackout has outlasted its stated emergency justification, the Geopolitico report noted.

'What began as an emergency measure amid protests and electoral tensions has continued into a fourth month, affecting everyday life far beyond the political confrontation itself. Human rights organisations are calling for communications to be restored, independent journalists to be allowed access, allegations of excessive force to be investigated and political grievances to be addressed through dialogue rather than coercive measures,' the report stated.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Raises Alarm

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) stated last month that the unrest in PoK stemmed from longstanding political and socioeconomic grievances, institutional distrust, governance deficits, and an increasingly confrontational state response, including disproportionate use of force. In its fact-finding report titled 'Civic Spaces under Strain', the HRCP noted: 'The resort to coercive measures in place of sustained dialogue appears to have deepened polarisation and eroded public trust.'

The commission said the unrest had implications across multiple rights, including the right to life, liberty, and security of person; freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association; freedom of movement; access to information; and participation in public affairs.

Civilian Casualties and Restricted Journalism

The HRCP reported receiving multiple accounts alleging that protesters had been killed or seriously injured by security forces, but said it could not independently verify the full scale or circumstances — particularly in Rawalakot, which remained inaccessible to investigators. While authorities provided figures on security personnel casualties, no official information on civilian deaths or injuries was shared with the mission.

Restrictions on journalism have further constrained independent reporting, with arrests of journalists, denial of access to affected areas, and special security requirements compounding the effect of the communications shutdown. The Geopolitico report cautioned that 'the full human cost of the unrest is still difficult to independently establish' as a consequence.

What Comes Next

Human rights groups and observers are pressing Pakistani authorities to restore communications, permit independent access, investigate allegations of excessive force, and pursue political dialogue. As of 22 September 2026, large parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir remain cut off from normal digital communications, with no official timeline for restoration announced.