Dismantling Pakistan’s Propaganda on Kashmir Self-Determination Day

On January 5, 1949, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed a historic resolution declaring that the question of Jammu and Kashmir’s accession would be resolved through a democratic method, specifically a free and impartial plebiscite. This resolution, which has remained unresolved for decades, serves as the cornerstone of Pakistan’s annual observance of Kashmir Self-Determination Day on January 5. This day is marked by Kashmiris, Pakistan, and various international advocacy groups to highlight the longstanding dispute over Kashmir and the call for the right to self-determination for its people. Each year, Pakistan leverages this occasion to draw global attention to its stance on Kashmir, utilizing diplomatic channels, official statements, social media, and protests. Pakistan’s propaganda efforts to galvanize international support for its position often include targeting the global community’s sentiment through various media platforms. In 2025, the propaganda machine is no different. The country has once again orchestrated several media campaigns, protests, and online movements aimed at accusing India of human rights violations and urging the international community to address what it perceives as a violation of the UNSC’s resolutions.

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Key Elements of Pakistan’s Propaganda

Pakistan strategically uses hashtags like #HumanRights, #FreeKashmir, #IIOJK (Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir), and #KashmirDarkJanuary to amplify its narrative. The Youth Forum for Kashmir (YFK), along with the Institute of Regional Studies Islamabad, hosted workshops to highlight the shared challenges of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Pakistan. Furthermore, All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC-AJK) is organizing a protest rally in Muzaffarabad on January 5, 2025.

In the run-up to Kashmir Self-Determination Day 2025, Pakistan has seen a surge in the use of anti-India hashtags, strategically deployed to amplify its message. Some of the key hashtags trending on social media include:

• #HumanRights: This hashtag is commonly used to highlight alleged human rights abuses by India in Jammu and Kashmir, including reports of extrajudicial killings, disappearances, and alleged torture.
• #FreeKashmir: A call for the independence of Kashmir from Indian control, this hashtag is central to Pakistan’s Kashmir narrative, which argues that the region’s people deserve the right to choose their own political destiny.
• #IIOJK (Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir): This hashtag reinforces Pakistan’s claim that Jammu and Kashmir is illegally occupied by India, a key element in its diplomatic and propaganda campaign.
• #KashmirDarkJanuary: This year, Pakistan introduced the hashtag #KashmirDarkJanuary, which has gained substantial traction on Twitter. It aims to underline the hardships faced by Kashmiris due to India’s continued military presence in the region.

Hashtags like #KashmirDarkJanuary are not just tools for mobilizing online sentiment; they reflect coordinated efforts to generate a specific narrative around Kashmir, focusing on themes of human rights violations, oppression, and the demand for self-determination. The hashtags serve as rallying cries for people who share Pakistan’s perspective on Kashmir and aim to generate international pressure on India. The most significant surge in anti-India posts began around December 31, 2024, a few days before Kashmir Self-Determination Day. This period marks the peak of Pakistan’s efforts to push its Kashmir agenda and amplify its narrative through various media platforms.

The surge in anti-India sentiment is accompanied by statements from Pakistani officials, including a press conference by the Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on December 27, 2024. Major General Babar Iftikhar made headlines by accusing India of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. He described India’s actions as illegal and oppressive, alleging that the revocation of Article 370 was a direct violation of UN resolutions and international law. General Iftikhar’s statement accused India of engaging in state terrorism and religious discrimination, particularly targeting Muslims in Kashmir. This narrative is further amplified by Pakistani news agencies like Kashmir Media Service, Daily Parliament Times, and Radio Pakistan. These outlets routinely publish articles and opinion pieces critical of India’s policies in Jammu and Kashmir while promoting the cause of Kashmir’s right to self-determination. Pakistan’s diplomatic machinery has also been active, using these platforms to position itself as a defender of Kashmiris’ human rights and emphasizing the international community’s responsibility in addressing the issue.

Pakistan’s propaganda efforts are further aided by social media influencers and journalists who amplify anti-India narratives online. Accounts like @SarginAffairs, @RadioPakistan, @joshe_junun, and @itx_izayyyy play an instrumental role in disseminating content that paints India as the aggressor in Kashmir and positions Pakistan as the defender of Kashmiri rights. These accounts are seen as part of a broader coordinated effort to push Pakistan’s message to a global audience, especially in light of Twitter (X) restrictions in Pakistan, which suggest that many of these accounts may have government or military backing.

Pakistan’s consistent media campaigns are designed not only to influence public opinion but also to put pressure on international bodies like the United Nations, urging them to take action on Kashmir. The most significant push, however, is aimed at India, portraying its actions in Kashmir as oppressive and in violation of international law. These campaigns often target human rights organizations, UN agencies, and even Western governments, calling on them to exert pressure on India to restore the region’s special status and hold India accountable for alleged human rights violations. Pakistan’s strategy is clear: by highlighting Kashmir as a human rights crisis and framing it as an unresolved issue under international law, it seeks to garner global support for its position. While India maintains that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of its territory, Pakistan’s narrative continues to find resonance among certain international audiences, particularly in countries with large Muslim populations and those critical of India’s handling of Kashmir.

As Kashmir Self-Determination Day 2025 approaches, it’s clear that Pakistan will continue to employ a multifaceted approach to influence global opinion. Whether through online campaigns, official statements, protests, or media reports, the goal remains the same: to push for international recognition of Kashmir’s right to self-determination and to challenge India’s control over the region. For its part, India continues to reject Pakistan’s claims and maintains that Kashmir is an inseparable part of its sovereign territory. India’s policies in Kashmir, particularly the abrogation of Article 370 and the subsequent changes to the region’s political status, remain a source of significant tension between the two countries. Pakistan’s propaganda efforts are unlikely to subside as long as the dispute remains unresolved, and the battle for international recognition of Kashmir’s status will likely continue to be a central issue in South Asian geopolitics. Pakistan’s efforts to use Kashmir Self-Determination Day as a platform for promoting its anti-India narrative have become an annual fixture of the diplomatic and media landscape. Through a combination of social media campaigns, official statements, protests, and strategic media placement, Pakistan continues to advance its position on Kashmir, seeking to highlight what it perceives as human rights abuses and violations of international law by India. As long as the Kashmir issue remains unresolved, this diplomatic and propaganda battle is set to continue, with both countries positioning themselves on the global stage to secure international support for their respective claims.

However, it is important to mention that this is just propaganda. India has done immense work in Jammu and Kashmir, which vastly outstrips the propaganda of Pakistan. Moreover, Pakistan must look at its own POJK, where people are deprived of basic necessities. The comparison between Jammu and Kashmir and POJK shows how India has developed Jammu and Kashmir and what wrath Pakistan has inflicted on the people of POJK.

The data below clearly dismantles the propaganda that Pakistan wishes to spread. See below: The facts presented demonstrate the significant disparities in development between Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir. These discrepancies highlight the reality of governance and economic growth in the respective regions.

Updated Statistical Comparison of Jammu & Kashmir (India) vs. Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (POJK)

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