Pakistan Marks Anniversary of Kashmir Status Revocation With Anti-India Protests

Protests Held Across Pakistan-Administered Kashmir And Islamabad

Tone & Political Bias: Moderately Pro-Pakistan / Anti-India Leaning

Why: The reporting highlights Pakistan’s narrative on Kashmir, prominently features anti-India protest voices, and emphasizes UN resolutions and international involvement, with little balance from the Indian perspective.

The Big Picture

August 5, 2025, marked the sixth anniversary of India’s revocation of Article 370, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special constitutional status. In response, Pakistan-administered regions witnessed large-scale demonstrations denouncing the move and calling for self-determination for Kashmiris.

Where The Protests Happened

Muzaffarabad: Hundreds of demonstrators, including members of political and civil society groups, rallied in the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Protesters chanted slogans against India and condemned the revocation of Kashmir's autonomy.
Islamabad: A separate protest took place in the Pakistani capital. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar voiced support for Kashmiris, reaffirming Pakistan's “moral and diplomatic” backing for their cause.

What The Protesters Want

Restoration of autonomy: Protesters demanded the return of the region’s previous semi-autonomous status, which India revoked on August 5, 2019.
Right to self-determination: Speakers at the protests, including Mazhar Saeed Shah from the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, called on the international community to implement United Nations resolutions that support a plebiscite in Kashmir.
End to “Indian occupation”: Protest leaders described India’s control of the region as “illegal” and urged global action.

India-Pakistan Tensions Remain High

Recent military exchange: The anniversary comes about three months after both nations engaged in limited military strikes. The strikes followed a mass shooting in Indian-controlled Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad denied involvement. The incident sparked fears of escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, but international intervention prevented further conflict.
Decades-long dispute: Kashmir remains one of the world’s most sensitive territorial conflicts. Since 1947, the region has triggered two full-scale wars between India and Pakistan. Both countries claim the territory in full, but control separate portions.

Voices From The Protest

Mazhar Saeed Shah (All Parties Hurriyat Conference): Urged the UN and global powers to act on promises of self-determination for Kashmiris. Emphasized the need to end “decades of injustice” against the people of Kashmir.
Ishaq Dar (Pakistan’s Deputy PM): Asserted that Pakistan remains committed to supporting Kashmir diplomatically and morally. Referred to India's actions as “illegal occupation.”

Protests In Indian-Administered Kashmir

Srinagar: In a parallel development, Congress Party supporters in Indian-controlled Kashmir also held a demonstration. Their demand focused on the restoration of full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, which was split into union territories by India in 2019.

Context: What Happened On August 5, 2019?

India revoked Article 370, which gave Jammu and Kashmir a special status under the Indian Constitution.
The decision removed the region’s ability to have its own constitution and laws.
The territory was reorganized into two centrally governed union territories: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

International Response And Concerns

Global attention: The move was widely criticized in Pakistan and drew concern from human rights groups and some international governments. The UN has reiterated its call for a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir dispute but has taken no concrete action.
Nuclear flashpoint risk: The Kashmir issue remains a source of potential military escalation due to both countries’ nuclear capabilities. Tensions are monitored closely by global powers, including the United States and China.

What’s Next

No new developments have been announced by either India or Pakistan regarding the political status of Kashmir. However, the repeated demonstrations signal that the dispute remains unresolved and highly volatile — both diplomatically and on the ground.