In a situation of tension between India and Pakistan, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) is often mentioned. This area is spread over an area of more than 78,000 square kilometers of Kashmir, which Pakistan presents as ‘Azad Kashmir’. However, India considers it as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK). Let us know how this PoK came into existence and what is its current status.

So the question arises – what is POK? How was it formed? And why is it the biggest reason for dispute between India and Pakistan?

The POK that exists today was once a part of India

When India became independent in 1947, it was divided into more than 500 princely states. Most of these princely states either merged with India or Pakistan, but some princely states remained neutral. One of them was Jammu and Kashmir, where the Muslim population was in majority, but King Hari Singh was a Hindu. He neither wanted to join India nor Pakistan. His intention was that Jammu and Kashmir should remain an independent state.

Pakistan sent tribal fighters

On 22 October 1947, Pakistan expressed its intention. It sent thousands of tribal fighters to Kashmir, whose aim was to forcibly merge Kashmir with Pakistan. Pakistan’s army and government had full support in this attack. Gradually these tribes captured many parts of Kashmir. Seeing the situation worsening, Maharaja Hari Singh sought help from India and on 27 October 1947, Kashmir merged with India.

India took command, army took charge

With the merger, the Indian Army took charge and started driving away Pakistani intruders. But during this time, the then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, raised this issue in the United Nations.

Kashmir dispute in the United Nations

Four major proposals came in the United Nations regarding Kashmir:

Proposal 38 (1 January 1948): Appeal to both the countries to normalize the situation.

Proposal 39 (20 January 1948): Talk of forming a three-member committee for talks with India-Pak.

Proposal 47 (21 April 1948): Recommendation of referendum in Kashmir – but the condition was that Pakistan should remove its tribes.

Proposal 51 (3 June 1948): Talk of sending UN commission to India-Pak.

During this time, Pakistani tribes occupied a large part of Kashmir. This occupied part is today called Pakistan Occupied Kashmir or PoK.

Today’s POK: Divided into two parts

POK is divided into two major parts:

Azad Kashmir – Pakistan calls it ‘Azad’, but the government here is completely under the control of Pakistan.

Gilgit-Baltistan – In 1949, under the ‘Karachi Agreement’, Pakistan took it under its direct control.

This area is very sensitive because it shares its borders with India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. This area is very important from a strategic point of view.

Area of POK and the part handed over to China

According to the Government of India, Pakistan has illegally occupied about 78,000 square kilometers of Jammu and Kashmir. Apart from this, in 1963, Pakistan handed over 5,180 square kilometers of Gilgit-Baltistan to China, which we know as Aksai Chin.

Current situation: Pakistan’s interference in POK

POK may have a separate government, assembly, high court and Supreme Court, but no decision is taken without the consent of the Pakistan government. The democratic system here is a sham and administratively the entire control is with Islamabad.