Deadly violence has erupted across Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) during the region's ongoing phased elections, with security forces reportedly using excessive force against protesters who have rejected the electoral process as illegitimate. The unrest, centred on a disputed 12-seat refugee quota in the PoJK Legislative Assembly, has deepened the crisis of democratic legitimacy in the territory, which India maintains is rightfully its own.

The Refugee Seats Controversy

Of the 45 seats in the PoJK Legislative Assembly, 12 are reserved for 'Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan', while the remaining 33 represent PoJK residents. Critics, including the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), argue these constituencies grant disproportionate electoral weight to largely unverified, non-resident voters — effectively allowing Islamabad to install its own representatives and influence governance in the region. Locals contend the arrangement disrupts the democratic balance and entrenches Pakistan's centralised control over PoJK's political landscape.

JAAC: The Banned Voice of Dissent

Established in 2023, the JAAC is a coalition of civil society groups, lawyers, traders, students, and local activists that has rapidly become the most influential grassroots platform in PoJK. It has organised sit-ins, strikes, and long marches to Muzaffarabad to press its demands. Despite being banned under anti-terror laws, its leaders continue to mobilise supporters. The JAAC's core demands include the abolition of refugee seats, renegotiation of hydropower project revenues, lower electricity tariffs, higher subsidies on essentials such as flour, release of detained protesters, and an end to Islamabad's political interference in PoJK.

Electoral Control and Political Exclusion

The elections are dominated by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and allied parties, which many PoJK residents regard as proxies of Pakistan's central government rather than genuine representatives of local interests. The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has boycotted the polls, and JAAC-led demonstrations have underscored the deep disconnect between the formal electoral process and grassroots aspirations. Low voter turnout and violent clashes have further exposed what residents describe as a crisis of legitimacy.

Economic Grievances Fuel Unrest

Beyond electoral politics, residents allege systemic economic exploitation. Hydropower generated within PoJK is reportedly exported to Pakistan while locals face high electricity tariffs. Soaring inflation and chronic shortages of flour and other essential commodities have compounded public anger. The JAAC has made these economic demands central to its platform, arguing that PoJK's natural resources should benefit its own people first.

India's Position and International Concern

New Delhi has dismissed the elections as a 'cosmetic' exercise designed to mask what it describes as Pakistan's illegal and forced occupation of territory that rightfully belongs to India. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan itself has condemned the use of excessive force against protesters and called for independent investigations. Islamabad, however, has responded with heavy security deployments, internet shutdowns, and mass arrests of activists. According to reports, dozens of people have died since June 2025 amid the crackdown. The cycle of repression and protest shows no sign of abating, with the JAAC vowing to sustain its campaign until its demands are addressed.