Manufactured Chaos in Azad Kashmir

Kashmir, the valley surrounded by snowy peaks and river bodies that sustain life, has long been known for its picturesque beauty and protracted conflict. Divided across the Line of Control (LoC), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) thrives, whereas Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) suffers. This fact troubles opposition forces, who in turn are trying to destroy the peace of AJK by manufacturing chaos through violent protests. The recent protests in AJK fall under the same category of stimulated unrest. Despite the AJK government meeting 98% of the protesters’ demands, including slashed electricity tariffs, wheat subsidies at discounted rates, local government reforms, and the withdrawal of cases against demonstrators, the unrest has escalated into disturbing violence against the law-enforcing agencies. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif stepped in decisively, expressing deep concern and appealing for peace, while stressing, “Peaceful protest is every citizen’s democratic and constitutional right; however, public law and order must not be harmed under any circumstances.” He instructed law enforcement to act with maximum patience, respect public sentiments, and avoid harsh measures, while directing aid to affected families and ensuring transparent investigations into the violence. To resolve the crisis, he expanded the negotiating committee to include key figures, such as Rana Sanaullah, Sardar Yusuf, Ahsan Iqbal, Qamar Zaman Kaira, and former AJK President Masood Khan, tasking them to travel to Muzaffarabad immediately and present comprehensive recommendations to the Prime Minister’s Office.

So, why, with the majority of grievances addressed and federal ministers in Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot ready for dialogue on the remaining issues, such as reducing ministerial posts and refugee seats, does the unrest continue and turn destructive? Viewed through the lens of Noam Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent, this is not organic dissent but carefully manufactured chaos. Politicized actors exploit even resolved issues to incite violence, destabilizing a region that is working toward self-determination.

Chomsky and Edward S. Herman argued that certain elements shape public opinion through the use of selective narratives, thereby creating consent for power. In AJK, the situation is reversed, and instead of consent for stability, chaos is manufactured. Opposition groups or external agitators, disguised as populist leaders, amplify minor issues into violence, exploiting the freedoms AJK enjoys, freedoms denied to people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). This unrest is not natural; it is deliberate, meant to distract from India’s oppression in IIOJK and to undermine Pakistan’s commitment to Kashmiri self-determination.

The difference between AJK and IIOJK is stark. AJK, under Pakistan’s leadership, prospers with accountable governance, affordable food, and empowered communities. IIOJK, under India’s occupation since the 2019 revocation of Article 370, suffers in silence, with no elections, censored media, and systemic neglect. Yet in AJK, politicized unrest threatens to destroy this progress.

AJK’s literacy rate is nearly 77%, above Pakistan’s national average, while IIOJK lags behind at below 70% in many districts (per UN reports). Female literacy in AJK shows transformative progress, driven by Islamabad’s AJK Education Policy 2021–2030, with smart schools, digital classrooms, and gender reforms. In contrast, schools in IIOJK remain closed under curfews, with enrollment crippled by fear of violence. When protests pull attention from classrooms to streets, they turn education into a casualty of manufactured chaos.

AJK’s 53-seat Legislative Assembly, elected directly since 1947, represents a vibrant democracy with competitive elections, peaceful power transitions, and open debate. It’s the media, including newspapers, radio, and TV, that freely critique policies, and civil society flourishes. In IIOJK, no elections have occurred since 2019, as a Delhi-appointed Lieutenant Governor governs 12.5 million people, while journalists face arrest under anti-terror laws. AJK’s democratic freedoms are real and working. Yet, violent protests risk twisting these freedoms into tools for chaos that threaten the region’s institutions.

Wheat in AJK costs Rs. 2,000 per 40kg, which is cheaper than in Punjab (Rs. 3,900), Sindh (Rs. 4,000), Baluchistan (Rs. 4,300), or IIOJK (Rs. 4,500). Pakistan’s subsidies and resilient AJK farmers ensure food security, unlike IIOJK, where exploitative markets prevail. Protests over prices may be understandable, but turning them into violence obscures Pakistan’s achievements while IIOJK continues to starve.

AJK’s healthcare system, with 8 major hospitals, 275 Basic Health Units, 17 district/tehsil facilities, and 318 auxiliary units, provides 0.8 beds per 1,000 people, outperforming Punjab (0.46) and nearing the WHO’s standard of 1.0. IIOJK, with 12.5 million residents, struggles with only 11 hospitals and 41 district facilities, offering just 0.62 beds per 1,000. Violent protests strain AJK’s hospitals, undermining the very purpose of these facilities.

AJK reserves 12 Legislative Assembly seats for IIOJK refugees, ensuring that the voices of displaced individuals are represented in the process of self-determination, as recognized by UN resolutions. IIOJK offers no such representation, effectively erasing displaced voices. When unrest in AJK divides communities, it undermines this justice, creating discord instead of unity.

This chaos is not inevitable; it is orchestrated. Opposition groups and external actors, like Chomsky’s media filters, amplify grievances into violence, overshadowing AJK’s progress and IIOJK’s suffering. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s expanded committee provides a way forward through dialogue, not destruction. AJK’s story is not one of burning streets but of thriving systems, education, democracy, food, healthcare, and representation. Across the Line of Control, IIOJK languishes; here in AJK, peace must prevail. In peace, AJK will build a future of dignity, not manufactured despair.