Pakistan faces unprecedented challenge from its Kashmir unrest

Kashmir turmoilViolence and election boycott deepen dispute over refugee representationSupporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee block a road after clashes with police during protests demanding greater political rights and the abolition of 12 legislative refugee seats, in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, on July 31.ADNAN AAMIRAugust 13, 2026 15:41 JSTISLAMABAD -- Pakistan is facing an unprecedented challenge to its authority in its side of Kashmir, where violent protests and an election boycott have disrupted regional polls and intensified a long-running dispute over political representation by Kashmiri refugees.