The story of Jammu and Kashmir and its illegally occupied half across the Line of Control, the Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir, is a tale of stark contrasts one of hope, resilience and democratic triumph against a backdrop of stagnation, subjugation and exploitation. It is a narrative that unfolds across a divided land, where the same mountains and rivers witness two vastly different realities. On one side, Jammu and Kashmir thrives as an integral part of India, its people empowered by constitutional safeguards, economic progress and a vibrant democratic spirit. On the other, Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir languishes under illegal occupation, its potential smothered by neglect and foreign agendas. This is the story of two Kashmir’s, a testament to the power of governance rooted in justice and the tragedy of a region robbed of its promise.
Jammu and Kashmir, nestled in India’s embrace, is a beacon of what determined governance and human ingenuity can achieve. Far from being merely a scenic paradise, the region has carved out a robust economic identity, blending tradition with innovation. Its Gross State Domestic Product, projected at Rs 2.65 lakh crore (approximately 32 billion United States dollar) for 2024-2025, has doubled since 2019, driven by a real growth rate of 7.06 percent. This ascent is no fluke, but a result of a dynamic horticultural sector, a booming tourism industry and an industrial renaissance unleashed by the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Horticulture, the crown jewel of the region’s economy, produces over 25 lakh metric tonnes annually, dominating India’s apple market while nurturing walnuts, cherries and the world renowned saffron. Initiatives like the High-Density Plantation scheme have boosted yields, pushing exports to Rs 1000 crore in 2023-2024. Agriculture, employing over 60 percent of the population, thrives on fertile lands supported by schemes like PM-KISAN and modern irrigation projects, ensuring food security and livelihoods through crops like rice and wheat. This agrarian backbone is not just tradition, but a vibrant engine of prosperity.
Tourism, meanwhile, has transformed Jammu and Kashmir into a global magnet. In 2024, 2.36 crore visitors injected Rs 12000 crore into the economy, drawn by the serene houseboats of Srinagar, the ski slopes of Gulmarg and the spiritual allure of the Amarnath Yatra. The government’s push for year-round tourism, through border circuits and adventure sports, has turned seasonal visits into a perennial boom, supported by an infrastructure of 2423 kilometers of highways and 2812 hospitals. The abrogation of Article 370 and 35A was a pivotal moment, unshackling the region’s industrial potential. The Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Policy 2021-2030, backed by Rs 28400 crore from the Central Sector Scheme, has sparked a revolution in startups and micro, small and medium enterprises. Over 27000 enterprises have emerged, fuelled by subsidies, accessible loans and streamlined clearances. New industrial estates in Kathua, Samba, Shopian and Baramulla buzz with activity, channeling Rs 81000 crores in investments and creating 3.5 lakh jobs by late 2024. From food processing to handicrafts, local industries blend heritage with modernity, redefining Jammu and Kashmir as an economic powerhouse.
This economic vitality is underpinned by a robust democratic framework, a testament to India’s commitment to the will of the people. The story of Jammu and Kashmir’s integration with India began in October 1947, when Maharaja Hari Singh, facing a brutal invasion by Pakistani backed tribal raiders, signed the Instrument of Accession. This legal act, rooted in the Indian Independence Act of 1947, was no mere formality it was a sovereign choice, affirmed by the people through a democratically elected Constituent Assembly in 1951. On February 6, 1954, this assembly ratified the accession, cementing Jammu and Kashmir’s place within India not just as a legal bond but as a democratic pact. Despite decades of external aggression and militancy, the region’s democratic spirit has endured. Elections in 1996, 2003, 2008 and 2014 saw robust voter turnout, even in the face of threats, reflecting the people’s unwavering faith in democracy. The reorganization of 2019, which transformed Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory with a legislative assembly, was not a retreat from democracy but a bold step to strengthen governance. Recent elections have seen record breaking participation, a clear signal of the people’s trust in shaping their future through the ballot box. Representation in Indian Parliament further ensures that the region’s voice resonates at the national level, from development projects to policies fostering peace.
This democratic resilience is matched by a commitment to justice and accountability. Security operations in Jammu and Kashmir, often targeted by Pakistani propaganda as massacres, operate under strict legal frameworks. The Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure ensure that every action, from cordon and search operations to encounters, is subject to magisterial oversight. Militants are offered chances to surrender, reflecting the constitutional guarantee of the right to life under Article 21. Local police play an integral role, documenting operations and minimising civilian harm. Every encounter triggers a magisterial inquiry, announced publicly and open to community input, ensuring transparency. This system, overseen by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court and the Supreme Court of India, balances security imperatives with civil liberties, making accountability non negotiable.
Across the Line of Control, Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir presents a grimly different picture. Its $6.5 billion United States dollar economy is a shadow of its potential, tethered to Pakistani subsidies that cover 80 percent of its budget. Rich in resources like timber, hydropower and minerals such as ruby and marble, the region is trapped in poverty, with a quarter of its people below the poverty line and inflation soaring at 37 percent. Unlike Jammu and Kashmir’s vibrant industrial ecosystem, Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir lacks any meaningful industrial base. There are no policies for easy loans, no industrial estates and no investment influx. Cottage industries like carpet weaving stagnate without scale or innovation. Infrastructure is skeletal, with just 262 kilometers of highways and education and healthcare remain woefully inadequate. Pakistan’s neglect is evident Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir is not a priority for development but a pawn in a geopolitical game.
That game increasingly involves China, whose projects like the China Pakistan Economic Corridor and hydropower plants such as Karot and Neelum-Jhelum are framed as development but serve foreign interests. Resources are extracted, forests felled and rivers dammed, with profits flowing to Chinese firms and Pakistani elites. Locals gain little 70 percent of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor jobs go to Chinese workers and land leases signal a creeping colonisation. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s 2025 remarks in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, noting that development in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir is driven by China, not Pakistan, ring painfully true. Protests in Muzaffarabad, Mirpur and Gilgit-Baltistan, sparked by economic exclusion and environmental ruin, reflect a growing outcry against this plunder.
The absence of justice in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir is even more stark. Pakistan’s deep state, comprising its military and intelligence agencies, wields unchecked power. The region’s so-called autonomy is a facade civilian institutions like legislatures and courts are toothless. Human rights violations are systemic: enforced disappearances target activists and journalists and dissent invites brutal reprisals. Laws like the Hydrocarbon Law and Anti Terrorism Act enable repression, not justice. Unlike Jammu and Kashmir’s transparent inquiries, Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir sees no magisterial probes into extrajudicial killings. The judiciary is powerless and media censorship stifles truth. Protesters, including lawyers, students and traders, demand basic rights: transparency, accountability and freedom, but are met with violence, detentions and internet blackouts.
Pakistan’s occupation of Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir lacks any legal foundation. The Maharaja’s standstill agreement with Pakistan in August 1947 was violated by Operation Gulmarg, a Pakistani backed invasion that seized Muzaffarabad and Mirpur by force. No Instrument of Accession exists to legitimise Pakistan’s claim its hold is rooted in aggression, not consent. Gilgit-Baltistan, handed over by tribal proxies in November 1947, fares no better, its status unresolved and its people denied a voice. The UN’s call for Pakistan to withdraw went unheeded, leaving Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir under an illegal occupation sustained by might, not right.
The contrast between the two Kashmir’s is a chasm of governance, justice and opportunity. Jammu and Kashmir stands as a model of resilience, where constitutional safeguards, democratic participation and economic progress empower its people. Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, by contrast, is a cautionary tale of what happens when governance surrenders to exploitation and lawlessness. Its people, rich in spirit and potential, deserve better than a future dictated by foreign hands and a neglectful state. The story of two Kashmir’s is not just a regional divide but a moral one, a call for the world to recognise the triumph of justice in one and the tragedy of its absence in the other.
