Over the past week, Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) and Balochistan have been gripped by a wave of state-led crackdowns, enforced disappearances, and violent clashes between civilians and security forces, revealing deepening unrest in regions long held under Islamabad’s control. The latest events have not only left a trail of casualties and missing persons, but have also exposed the growing demands for basic rights and autonomy from populations that have, for decades, lived under what they describe as repressive rule.
According to Paank—the Baloch National Movement’s Human Rights Department—four civilians were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces in Balochistan between September 27 and September 30, 2025. Murad Jan, a daily-wage labourer, and Abdul Hakeem were abducted in Gilli Buleda, Kech district. Two days later, Sher Ali, a shopkeeper from Gardank, Tehsil Buleda, vanished after being taken by the Pakistan Army. The following Tuesday, Nizar Arz Muhammad, a driver from Paroom in Panjgur district, was also disappeared while in Buleda, his whereabouts still unknown. Paank stated, “These back-to-back abductions highlight the ongoing pattern of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, targeting civilians without due process or accountability.”
The violence was not limited to disappearances. On September 29, 2025, Pakistan-backed death squad members reportedly opened fire in the Jhain area of Panjgur, injuring two local residents, Yousuf—who remains in critical condition—and Uzair. The attackers, according to local sources cited by Paank, arrived in an Iranian-made Toyota and fired indiscriminately at civilians.
The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) documented an alarming escalation in abuses throughout August 2025, recording 123 enforced disappearances and 26 killings at the hands of Pakistan-backed death squads and security forces. Of those disappeared, 106 remain missing, 12 were released, and five were extrajudicially killed while in custody. The HRCB’s report paints a grim picture: “Baloch civilians face violent raids, unlawful arrests, enforced disappearances, the 'kill and dump' policy, detention under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, and fabricated police cases.”
Meanwhile, in PoJK, a parallel crisis unfolded as Pakistani security forces cracked down on mass protests called by the Awami Action Committee (AAC). On September 29-30, 2025, security forces opened fire on demonstrators across Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, and Kotli, resulting in the deaths of two people and injuries to more than 22 others. The protests, which began as a shutdown strike over unmet demands for fundamental rights and development, quickly escalated in both scale and intensity. The AAC and its leaders warned, “Any violent action and forceful crackdown will be answered with the same intensity and will be met with force itself.”
The government’s response was swift and severe: markets were shuttered, roadways blocked, and internet and mobile services suspended for at least two days, effectively isolating the protestors and disrupting daily life. The crackdown was so comprehensive that even emergency cases struggled to reach hospitals. Police firing in Muzaffarabad led to multiple injuries and deaths, while demonstrators accused the rival Muslim Conference grouping of firing on peaceful, unarmed protestors. Despite these measures, the protests only intensified, spreading to major district headquarters as people vowed to continue until their 38 demands—ranging from affordable electricity and flour to local representation—were addressed.
JAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir announced a long march to Muzaffarabad scheduled for October 1, underscoring the determination of the protestors to keep pressing their case. As of the end of September, the government had yet to respond substantively to the demands, fueling further outrage and resolve among the population.
Observers have noted the irony in Islamabad’s heavy-handed tactics. For decades, Pakistan has positioned itself as the champion of Kashmiri rights on the world stage, vocally criticizing India for alleged human rights abuses. Yet, as protests erupted in the heart of “Azad Kashmir,” Pakistan’s answer has been bullets, curfews, and blackouts. As one commentary published on October 1, 2025, put it: “Pakistan is fighting against Kashmiris—the ones unfortunate enough to be trapped under its illegal occupation.” The article argued that the current unrest exposes the hollowness of Pakistan’s long-standing case on Kashmir, suggesting that the movement is not about flour or power bills alone, but a broader legitimacy crisis for Islamabad.
The comparison to other regional flashpoints is striking. The crackdown in PoJK has drawn parallels to China’s response to unrest in Xinjiang in 2009, India’s handling of protests in Kashmir in 2016 and after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, and Pakistan’s own long-running repression in Balochistan. Each scenario, observers note, involved local grievances being met with state violence and communication blackouts—tactics now on display in PoJK.
Despite the severity of the situation, global media coverage has been scant. Several sources have pointed out that while international outlets are quick to report on unrest in Indian-administered Kashmir, they have largely remained silent on the violence and rights abuses in PoJK and Balochistan. This perceived double standard has fueled frustration among protestors and rights groups, who argue that the world is turning a blind eye to their plight.
Pakistan now faces a set of difficult choices. As one analysis outlined, Islamabad can attempt to buy temporary calm with subsidies—much as it did in 2024 with a 23 billion rupee package for PoJK—but this is seen as a short-term fix for a deepening wound. Alternatively, it could escalate repression, risking further radicalization and international condemnation. The most challenging and least likely path, according to experts, would be to address the root grievances by granting genuine self-rule and representation—a move that would threaten the Pakistani Army’s longstanding grip over the region.
In Balochistan, the pattern of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings continues to fuel calls for independence and deepen the province’s sense of alienation from the Pakistani state. In PoJK, the current protests have shifted the narrative: for the first time in decades, demonstrators are not demanding separation from India or alignment with Pakistan, but instead are fighting for dignity, justice, and the basics of governance—demands that resonate far beyond the region’s borders.
As October begins, the outcome in both Balochistan and PoJK remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the old methods of repression and denial are no longer containing the growing demands for rights and representation. Whether Islamabad chooses to reform, repress, or attempt to buy calm, the cracks in its control over these regions are now visible for all to see.
