Unrest in POK, Progress in J&K: Two Different Realities Across Kashmir’s Divide
While protests and violence shake Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, India marks a major infrastructure milestone with the Zojila Tunnel breakthrough in Jammu and Kashmir.
Two regions separated by the Line of Control (LoC), yet moving in sharply contrasting directions — this is the unfolding story of Kashmir today.
In Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), cities such as Rawalakot, Muzaffarabad, and Mirpur have witnessed widespread unrest, protests, detentions, and violence, challenging Islamabad’s authority in the region. Reports indicate that security forces killed at least 27 people while attempting to suppress demonstrations, reflecting growing tensions and instability.
Meanwhile, nearly 100 kilometres east of the LoC, an entirely different scene played out in India-administered Jammu and Kashmir. Engineers working on the strategically significant Zojila Tunnel celebrated a major breakthrough deep beneath the Himalayas, marking a key milestone in one of India’s most ambitious infrastructure projects.
The tunnel, connecting Baltal, Sonamarg, and Minamarg, is expected to become Asia’s longest bidirectional tunnel upon completion. Designed to provide all-weather connectivity between Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, the Zojila Tunnel is expected to strengthen transportation, tourism, defence logistics, and economic activity in the region.
The contrasting developments on either side of the LoC underscore vastly different trajectories in the two regions of Kashmir. While one side grapples with political unrest and public anger, the other is witnessing large-scale infrastructure expansion and connectivity projects.
The developments have once again drawn attention to the historical division of Kashmir following the events of 1947, which left parts of the region under Pakistan’s control while the rest remained with India. India continues to maintain that the entire territories of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Shaksgam Valley are integral parts of the country.
As tensions persist in POK and development projects accelerate in Jammu and Kashmir, the latest events reflect two starkly different realities unfolding across the divided Himalayan region.
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