4.2.6. Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB)

Table of contents

The area of AJK is 13 297 square kilometres, and the area of GB is 77 676 square kilometres.993 AJK and GB are in northeastern Pakistan.994 GB shares internal borders with KP province in the west and AJK in the south. AJK further shares internal borders with KP and Punjab provinces in the west.995 The Kashmir region is disputed between India, Pakistan and China but claimed in its entirety by both Pakistan and India.996 Each of the two territories of Pakistan-administered Kashmir has an elected assembly and government with limited autonomy but lacks federal parliamentary representation and other rights granted to Pakistani provinces. Pakistani federal institutions hold significant control,997 including over security, the courts, and key policy decisions.998

In terms of administrative units, AJK is divided into three divisions (Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Mirpur), which are further subdivided into ten districts.999 Muzaffarabad is AJK’s capital city.1000 GB is divided into 101001 to 14 districts,1002 depending on the source consulted. Gilgit is GB’s capital city.1003

Pakistan’s Population & Housing Census of 2023 lacks data for Pakistan-administered Kashmir.1004 A March 2026 publication by the AJK government cites the 2023 census, reporting AJK’s population at 4 333 000.1005 Meanwhile, the government of GB states the region’s population was approximately 2.3 million as of April 20241006.1007

AJK’s social landscape is predominantly structured along clan lines known as biradari networks. The source lists Jats, Rajputs, Gujjars, Sudhans (also: Sudhozai), Awans, Syeds, as well as Mughals and Kashmiri Sheiks as the major communities in AJK. As for GB, the source described it as ‘the most ethnically complex’ area of the wider region, where tribes such as the Shins and Yashkuns, Burusho, Wakhi, Baltis, and Kohistanis lived.1008 In AJK, where Urdu is the official language, other languages spoken are Gojri, Kashmiri, Pahari, Pothwari, Hindko, Dogri, and Punjabi.1009 GB was described as linguistically diverse, with Shina spoken most widely there. Additionally, Balti, Burushaski, Wakhi, and Khowar are reportedly also spoken in GB.1010 In terms of religious composition, Shias reportedly form the majority in GB.1011 No information could be found on the religious composition in AJK within the time constraints of research.

AJK was described as a mineral-rich region,1012 having among others copper, gold, silver, coal, ruby, sapphire, and tourmaline deposits.1013 AJK economy is based on agriculture, tourism and remittances. In addition, AJK has several hydropower projects,1014 while GB reportedly has timber and minerals,1015 such as gold, copper, nickel and cobalt.1016

In 2024, no militant attacks were reported in AJK and GB, while security forces carried out two operations in GB according to PICSS.1017 In 2025, PICSS documented a small number of violent incidents1018 including a significant but isolated targeted counter-militancy operation in May 2025 against suspected TTP operatives in Pooch district’s Rawalakot. Militant groups reportedly continued to regard AJK as a potential operational area, and the TTP announced ‘Kashmir’ as a new wilayat (shadow province) in its 2026 appointments.1019 According to PIPS, two of three militant attacks in GB in 2025 and one abduction1020 in GB’s Diamer district were attributed to the TTP and its affiliates.1021 PICSS further reported one unverified claim of an Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan (IMP) attack in AJK.1022 According to PICSS, the Zainabiyoun Brigade was believed to be involved in sectarian assassination attempts of religious and judicial figures in Gilgit in 2025.1023

The Pahalgam terrorist attack in April 20251024 in Indian-administered Kashmir triggered an escalation of tensions between Pakistan and India.1025 The escalation which involved gunfire and mortar fire,1026 in turn reportedly spiked as a result of Indian airstrikes on parts of AJK and various cities in Punjab in early May,1027 resulting in civilian deaths and injuries.1028 India alleged that the attack was carried out by a splinter group of Pakistan-based LeT and suspected Pakistani intelligence service involvement, both of which Pakistan denied.1029 Pakistan responded to India’s military operation with its own operation Bunyanul Marsoos, which included ‘large-scale conventional strikes, drone deployments, and cyber actions’,1030 including surveillance drones and loitering munitions1031.1032 India deployed drones that were partially intercepted by Pakistan.1033 The International Crisis Group described the conflict as ‘the most serious confrontation’ between the two countries in decades,1034 and, in mid-February 2026, the private US-think tank Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) described these hostilities as ‘the most significant bilateral confrontations since 2019’.1035 A ceasefire was agreed on in mid-May 2025.1036 As of early 2026, the ceasefire was holding.1037

PICSS further explained that in GB, the security situation in 2025 reflected a gradual rise in challenges, such as militant violence, threats to strategic infrastructure and sectarian targeting.1038

Security incidents

As for 2025, PIPS documented one security operation in AJK and three militant attacks in GB, including two in Diamer and one in Gilgit districts.1039 CRSS recorded five attacks each in GB and AJK in 2025.1040 PICSS only documented five attacks in GB.1041

According to a report by PICSS, AJK faced its ‘most severe episodes of unrest’ in late September and early October 2025, as demonstrations organised by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) turned into violent confrontations with law enforcement. Reportedly, daily life across AJK was impeded, with markets closed and transport suspended. PICSS further noted that the demonstrations and strikes, amid a communication blackout, led to civilian deaths and dozens of injuries. The events mirrored a growing public frustration over failures in governance, economic grievances, and the territory’s unresolved constitutional status. According to PICSS, similar patterns of unrest were observed in GB across the Line of Control (LoC), with the lack of meaningful autonomy in AJK and GB continuing to drive recurring protests.1042 In March 2025, protests were reported in GB over the detention of local leaders under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).1043

From 1 November 2024 to 24 April 2026 ACLED reported 39 security incidents in AJK and GB: 30 were coded as battles, with a prevalence in the AJK (21), 7 as explosions/remote violence and 2 as incidents of violence against civilians.1044

Imported image pandoc_image_6.png

Figure 8: Evolution of security events coded ‘battles’, ‘explosions/remote violence’ and ‘violence against civilians’ in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan between 1 November 2024 and 24 April 2026, based on ACLED data1045

Fatalities

From 1 November 2024 to 24 April 2026 ACLED reported 56 fatalities.1046

Civilian casualties

In 2025, PICSS reported no civilian casualties in AJK and GB,1047 and in 2024, two civilian injuries resulting from security operations were recorded by PICSS in GB.1048 The abovementioned escalation in tensions between Pakistan and India in May 20251049 reportedly resulted in civilian casualties,1050 including deaths.1051 Casualties resulting from Indian airstrikes were recorded in early May 2025 in AJK’s Bagh and Muzaffarabad districts.1052

Civilian casualties during protests were reported in 2025 by PICSS.1053 According to a Deutsche Welle (DW) article, protests by Shiites against the killing of Iran’s then Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in GB in early March 2026 turned violent, with Pakistani authorities deploying military and imposing a three-day long curfew in Gilgit and Skardu cities. Referring to police sources, DW noted that a minimum of 12 people were killed and another 80 were injured in GB.1054

Impact on infrastructure

The abovementioned escalation in tensions between Pakistan and India,1055 which spiked in early May 2025,1056 reportedly resulted in the destruction of homes, schools and hospitals in AJK. Furthermore, despite the ceasefire agreement reached in May 2025, India continued to enforce the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty that had been enacted previously. The source further reported the enforcement of the state of emergency in districts along the LoC and the closure of educational facilities.1057 No information could be found on conflict-related impact on infrastructure in GB during the reference period.

Displacement and return

Indian airstrikes on parts of AJK in early May 20251058 reportedly resulted in internal displacement.1059 Referring to official sources, the German BAMF reported the internal displacement of 1 186 families in AJK as a result of Indian shelling in the night of 8 to 9 May 2025.1060 In May 2025, Islamic Relief Pakistan reported the displacement of 529 families (or 3 176 individuals) in Muzaffarabad, Bagh, and Haveli districts.1061 No information could be found on conflict-related return movements from or into AJK and on conflict-related IDP or return movements from or into GB during the reference period.

  • 993

    Pakistan, Azad Government of the State of Jammu & Kashmir, Azad Jammu & Kashmir at a glance – 2025, March 2026, url, p. 2

  • 994

    Pakistan, Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, About Azad Jammu & Kashmir, n.d., url

  • 995

    Pakistan, Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations – New York, Political Map of Pakistan, n.d., url

  • 996

    Britannica, Kashmir, last updated 28 March 2026, url; Newsweek, Kashmir Map Shows Who Controls Territory in Contested Himalayan Region, updated 13 January 2026, url

  • 997

    Bhatti, M.U and Yousuf, M., Ambiguity and Unrest: AJK and GB in a Perpetual Constitutional Limbo, Centre for Peace Studies, 27 January 2026, url

  • 998

    Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2025 – Pakistani Kashmir*, 2025, url; Azadi Times (The), AJK and GB: The Push for Political Unity in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir, 19 May 2025, url

  • 999

    Pakistan, Azad Government of the State of Jammu & Kashmir, Azad Jammu & Kashmir – District Profiles 2022, August 2023, url, p. i; Sahiwal News, How many Divisions and Districts are in Azad Kashmir (AJK), 28 July 2025, url

  • 1000

    Sahiwal News, How many Divisions and Districts are in Azad Kashmir (AJK), 28 July 2025, url

  • 1001

    Pakistan, Government of Gilgit-Baltistan, Annual Development Programme 2024-25, July 2024, url, pp. 14-15

  • 1002

    UN OCHA, Pakistan - Subnational Administrative Boundaries, modified 26 January 2026, url, sheet: pak_admin2; Adventure Pakistan, Districts of Gilgit Baltistan-Exploration, 17 September 2024, url

  • 1003

    Pakistan, Government of Gilgit-Baltistan, About Us, n.d., url

  • 1004

    Pakistan, PBS, 7th Population & Housing Census 2023 – Dashboard, n.d., url, accessed on 30 March 2026

  • 1005

    Pakistan, Azad Government of the State of Jammu & Kashmir, Azad Jammu & Kashmir at a glance – 2025, March 2026, url, p. 2

  • 1006

    More recent population figures for GB could not be found during research.

  • 1007

    Pakistan, Tourism, Sports Culture Archaeology & Museums Department, Government of Gilgit-Baltistan, Importance of Gilgit-Baltistan, 22 April 2024, url

  • 1008

    Azadi Times (The), Caste and Tribal Communities Across Jammu & Kashmir: A Comprehensive Study of Social Identities From Azad Kashmir to Ladakh, 16 November 2025, url

  • 1009

    Kosar, A. and Khan, A. Q., Preserving Linguistic Diversity: Uncovering Teachers and Students’ attitudes towards Local Languages in Muzaffarabad, April-June 2024, url, p. 872

  • 1010

    Azadi Times (The), The Languages of Jammu, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Ladakh: A Rich Tapestry of Cultures and Traditions, 22 January 2025, url

  • 1011

    DW, Pakistan imposes curfew after deadly Iran protests, 2 March 2026, url

  • 1012

    Global Strat View, The Farce of Kashmir Solidarity Day: Why PoJ&K Views Islamabad as an Occupier, 4 February 2026, url

  • 1013

    Daily Kashmir Post, Natural Resources and Minerals in AJK- By Ghulam Mohiuddin Dar, 23 July 2025, url

  • 1014

    Pakistan, Azad Government of the State of Jammu & Kashmir, AJ&K Overview, n.d., url

  • 1015

    Global Strat View, The Farce of Kashmir Solidarity Day: Why PoJ&K Views Islamabad as an Occupier, 4 February 2026, url

  • 1016

    Express Tribune (The), Massive Antimony reserves found in Balochistan; Gold and Copper confirmed in GB, 29 March 2025, url; Daily Kashmir Post, Natural Resources and Minerals in AJK- By Ghulam Mohiuddin Dar, 23 July 2025, url

  • 1017

    PICSS, Pakistan’s Comprehensive National Security Profile 2024, 2 January 2025, url, p. 34

  • 1018

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, p. 60

  • 1019

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, pp. 89-90, 91

  • 1020

    According to PIPS, the TTP abducted security personnel, government officials, tribal elders as well as traders and businesspeople during the year. However, the source does not specify who was abducted in this particular incident in GB. PIPS, Pakistan Security Report 2025, Vol. 18, No. 1, January 2026, url, p. 27

  • 1021

    PIPS, Pakistan Security Report 2025, Vol. 18, No. 1, January 2026, url, p. 27

  • 1022

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, p. 30

  • 1023

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, p. 90

  • 1024

    On 22 April 2025, around 30 tourists were killed by armed men at a resort near Pahalgam town in Indian-administered Kashmir; CNN, Dozens killed as gunmen massacre tourists in Kashmir beauty spot, 23 April 2025, url; AP, Militants kill at least 26 tourists at a resort in Indian-controlled Kashmir, 23 April 2025, url

  • 1025

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, p. 104

  • 1026

    PIPS, Pakistan Security Report 2025, Vol. 18, No. 1, January 2026, url, p. 26

  • 1027

    PIPS, Pakistan Security Report 2025, Vol. 18, No. 1, January 2026, url, p. 26; Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 30 June 2025, url, p. 10

  • 1028

    BBC, What we know about India's strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, 7 May 2025, url; Diplomat (The), Pakistan Prepares Counterblow as India’s Airstrikes Raise War Fears, 7 May 2025, url

  • 1029

    Jadoon, A., Beyond Counterterrorism: A Legitimacy-Centered Framework for Pakistan’s Security Crisis, Hudson Institute, 6 October 2025, url

  • 1030

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, p. 104

  • 1031

    Compact, short-range suicide drones. PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, p. 12

  • 1032

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, pp. 12-13

  • 1033

    PIPS, Pakistan Security Report 2025, Vol. 18, No. 1, January 2026, url, p. 26

  • 1034

    International Crisi Group, India-Pakistan: Avoiding a War in Waiting, 17 September 2025, url, pp. 1-2

  • 1035

    CFR, Conflict Between India and Pakistan, 18 February 2026, url

  • 1036

    International Crisi Group, India-Pakistan: Avoiding a War in Waiting, 17 September 2025, url, p. 1; Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 30 June 2025, url, p. 10; AP, India claims its strikes inside Pakistan territory last week killed over 100 militants, 12 May 2025, url

  • 1037

    Tribune (The), India, Pakistan don’t want conflict but terrorists continue to create conditions: US report, 19 March 2026, url; Al Jazeera, Handshake in Dhaka: Can India and Pakistan revive ties in 2026?, 2 January 2026, url; PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, p. 105

  • 1038

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, pp. 89-90

  • 1039

    PIPS, Pakistan Security Report 2025, Vol. 18, No. 1, January 2026, url, pp. 11, 13

  • 1040

    CRSS, Annual Security Report 2025, 31 December 2025, url

  • 1041

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, p. 3

  • 1042

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, pp. 98-99

  • 1043

    Azadi Times (The), Gilgit-Baltistan Erupts: Protests Intensify Over Detention of Civic Leaders, 15 March 2026, url

  • 1044

    EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Pakistan, data covering 1 November 2024 to 24 April 2026, as of 29 April 2026, url

  • 1045

    EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Pakistan, data covering 1 November 2024 to 24 April 2026, as of 29 April 2026, url

  • 1046

    EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Pakistan, data covering 1 November 2024 to 24 April 2026, as of 29 April 2026, url

  • 1047

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, pp. 89-90

  • 1048

    PICSS, Pakistan’s Comprehensive National Security Profile 2024, 2 January 2025, url, p. 34[58]

  • 1049

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, p. 104

  • 1050

    CNN, May 7, 2025 India launches attacks on Pakistan after Kashmir massacre - It’s Thursday morning in India and Pakistan. Here's the latest on the conflict, 7 May 2025, url; UN CRC, Concluding observations on the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports of Pakistan, CRC/C/PAK/CO/6-7, 23 February 2026, url, p. 5

  • 1051

    Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 30 June 2025, url, p. 10; New York Times (The), A Timeline of Tensions Between India and Pakistan Over Kashmir, 5 May 2025, url

  • 1052

    Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 30 June 2025, url, pp. 9-10

  • 1053

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, pp. 98-99

  • 1054

    DW, Pakistan imposes curfew after deadly Iran protests, 2 March 2026, url

  • 1055

    PICSS, Pakistan's Comprehensive National Security Profile – Annual Report 2025, 7 January 2026, url, p. 104

  • 1056

    PIPS, Pakistan Security Report 2025, Vol. 18, No. 1, January 2026, url, p. 26; Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 30 June 2025, url, p. 10

  • 1057

    Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 30 June 2025, url, pp. 9-10

  • 1058

    PIPS, Pakistan Security Report 2025, Vol. 18, No. 1, January 2026, url, p. 26; Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 30 June 2025, url, p. 10

  • 1059

    CNN, May 7, 2025 India launches attacks on Pakistan after Kashmir massacre - It’s Thursday morning in India and Pakistan. Here's the latest on the conflict, 7 May 2025, url

  • 1060

    Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 30 June 2025, url, p. 10

  • 1061

    Islamic Relief Pakistan, Rapid Needs Assessment Report- AJ&K, May 2025, url, p. 4