Indian-Occupied Kashmir Bleeding Once Again After Pehalgam Attack

The disputed region of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), as termed by Pakistan, has endured decades of unrest since the partition of British India in 1947. Pakistan maintains that India’s control over the region violates United Nations Security Council resolutions calling for a plebiscite to determine the will of the Kashmiri people. The revocation of Article 370 in August 2019, which stripped IIOJK of its semiautonomous status, marked a significant escalation in India’s direct governance, a move Pakistan condemned as illegal and oppressive. Since then, the region has witnessed intensified militarization, with an estimated 500,000 Indian troops stationed there, making it one of the most militarized zones in the world, according to a 2024 report by Al Jazeera.

The Pakistani government argues that this heavy-handed approach has fueled local resentment, creating a fertile ground for militancy. The recent attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, where 26 civilians—25 tourists and one local—were killed in the scenic Baisaran Valley, is viewed by Pakistan not as an act of cross-border terrorism, as India claims, but as a tragic consequence of India’s failure to address Kashmiri grievances. Pakistan’s Foreign Office issued a statement expressing condolences for the loss of life while categorically denying India’s accusations of involvement, calling instead for an independent international investigation to uncover the truth.

Related: Hajj Pilgrims from Indian-Occupied Kashmir See Record Decline

The Pahalgam Attack: A Symptom of Unresolved Grievances

The Pahalgam attack targeted a popular tourist destination, shattering the illusion of normalcy that India has sought to project through a tourism boom—3.5 million visitors in 2024, according to Indian government figures. India swiftly blamed The Resistance Front (TRF), an alleged offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and pointed fingers at Pakistan for sponsoring the attack. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif rejected these claims, suggesting the possibility of a “false flag operation” orchestrated by India to malign Pakistan and justify further aggression. “India has a history of using such incidents to deflect from its governance failures in IIOJK,” Asif stated during a press conference in Islamabad on April 25, 2025, as reported by Dawn.

The attack has reignited tensions, exposing the fragility of peace in the region. Pakistan argues that the root cause lies in India’s refusal to engage in meaningful dialogue and its systematic suppression of Kashmiri voices. Since 2019, over 4,000 Kashmiris have been detained under draconian laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, with many facing prolonged incarceration without trial, according to a 2025 BBC investigation. The heavy military presence, coupled with frequent curfews and communication blackouts, has stifled dissent, leaving the population in a state of perpetual fear and alienation.

Escalation and Regional Instability

The aftermath of the Pahalgam attack has brought India-Pakistan relations to a dangerous low, threatening regional stability. India’s response was swift and severe: it suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a 1960 agreement critical to Pakistan’s agricultural and hydropower sectors, which rely on 80% of the Indus Basin’s water flow. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif labeled this move an “act of war,” warning of catastrophic consequences for millions of Pakistani farmers. “Water is our lifeline. Any attempt to weaponize it will be met with a resolute response,” Sharif stated during a National Assembly address on May 1, 2025, as reported by Dawn.

India also closed the Attari-Wagah border, suspended trade, banned Pakistani airlines from its airspace, and expelled Pakistani diplomats. On May 7, 2025, India conducted airstrikes on alleged militant sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, prompting retaliatory shelling along the Line of Control (LoC). The violence has claimed at least 26 civilian lives in Pakistan and 27 in IIOJK, including children, according to a May 2025 Al Jazeera report. Pakistan reciprocated by suspending the 1972 Simla Agreement, which governs the LoC, and closing its airspace to Indian flights, signaling a near-total breakdown of bilateral ties.

Humanitarian Crisis in IOK

The human toll in IIOJK has been severe. Following the Pahalgam attack, India intensified its security measures, detaining over 1,500 individuals in Srinagar and surrounding areas, according to a May 2025 BBC report. Homes of suspected militants’ families were demolished, a practice Pakistan condemns as collective punishment. Curfews and internet shutdowns have disrupted daily life, while Kashmiri students and vendors across India report increased harassment, with some facing mob violence. The forced displacement of residents near the LoC, fleeing cross-border shelling, has added to the humanitarian crisis, with thousands seeking refuge in makeshift camps.

Pakistan highlights the plight of Kashmiris as evidence of India’s oppressive policies. The tourism surge, often touted by India as a sign of normalcy, is dismissed as a superficial narrative that masks underlying unrest. The Pahalgam attack, occurring in a tourist hotspot, underscores the volatility of the region and the failure of India’s militarized approach to bring lasting peace.

The crisis has also played out in the digital realm, with both nations engaging in a fierce information war. India’s social media campaigns, using hashtags like #PahalgamAttack and #PakistanTerror, have sought to frame Pakistan as the aggressor. Pakistan has countered with #IndianFalseFlag and #PahalgamDramaExposed, accusing India of spreading disinformation, including AI-generated deepfakes, to manipulate global perceptions. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has called for international oversight of India’s propaganda efforts, arguing that they obscure the legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

Historical Context and the Path Forward

The Kashmir dispute dates back to 1947, when the partition of British India left the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir contested. Pakistan insists that the region’s future must be decided through a UN-mandated plebiscite, a process India has obstructed for decades. Three wars—1947, 1965, and 1999—have failed to resolve the issue, leaving the LoC as a de facto border. Pakistan’s support for the Kashmiri cause has been limited to moral and diplomatic backing, as reiterated by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in a May 2025 statement to the UN General Assembly.

The current crisis underscores the urgent need for dialogue. Pakistan has sought international mediation, with Prime Minister Sharif engaging U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to de-escalate tensions. Pakistan proposes a neutral investigation into the Pahalgam attack to establish the facts and hold the real perpetrators accountable, rather than allowing India to exploit the tragedy for geopolitical gains.

The Pahalgam attack has once again exposed the deep wounds of IIOJK, a region bleeding under Indian occupation. Pakistan views the violence as a direct result of India’s refusal to grant Kashmiris their right to self-determination, instead resorting to militarization and suppression. The escalation—military, diplomatic, and economic—threatens to plunge the region into a broader conflict, with devastating consequences for millions on both sides. The international community must act swiftly to facilitate dialogue, ensure a transparent investigation, and address the root causes of the Kashmir dispute through a just and lasting solution that respects the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.