Kashmir Solidarity Day or cover-up day? Pakistan’s double standards exposed

Feb 04, 2026

PoJK, Cananda, London, 04 February 2026: - In Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, oppression and denial of basic freedoms define everyday life. Residents face political repression, enforced disappearances, lack of democratic participation, and minimal public services. Local voices are silenced, cultural identity is under constant threat, and people live under relentless surveillance with no hope of justice or development, even as they continually protest for their rights. Yet, every year on February 5, Pakistan observes what it calls Kashmir Solidarity Day. Officially, it claims to support the rights of Kashmiris. In reality, the day has become a state-sponsored spectacle—a tool to project a false image abroad while distracting from the oppression within its illegally controlled territories. While Pakistan projects itself as a defender of Kashmiri rights, activists from PoGB say the reality on the ground tells a very different story - one of political repression, enforced disappearances, and denial of basic freedoms. As Pakistan struggles with internal unrest, economic collapse and allegations of systematic human rights violations, the contrast across the Line of Control is becoming increasingly stark. In Jammu & Kashmir, the region has seen expanding infrastructure, record tourism, grassroots democratic participation, and greater integration with national development programs.