More trouble for Pakistani government as political crisis deepens in PoK, 3 senior ministers resign; What will Shehbaz and Munir do now?

New Delhi: Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has witnessed widespread protests in recent days. After much effort by the Pakistani government to quell the protests, a new crisis has now arisen. Three senior ministers in the cabinet of Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, the Prime Minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), have resigned. These ministers accused Anwarul Haq of failing to protect the constitutional and political rights of PoK residents and Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan. The political crisis created by the resignation of the three ministers poses a tough challenge to the Shehbaz Sharif government in Pakistan.

Reasons behind resignations

According to the Pakistani website The Express Tribune, Information Minister Pir Mazhar Saeed of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was the first to resign. Following this, Finance Minister Abdul Majeed Khan, Food Minister Chaudhary Akbar Ibrahim, and Asim Sharif Butt announced their resignations on Saturday, 18 October 2025. In a statement issued after their resignations, these leaders said that Haq’s government has lost moral and political legitimacy due to its failure to address the issues of the people of PoK and the 2.5 million Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan.

Complaints about Kashmiris’ rights

The resigning ministers stated that Anwarul Haq has no right to remain in power. They also strongly criticised the government’s handling of the recent unrest. Abdul Majeed Khan, after resigning, stated that he was leaving the government out of commitment to the rights of Kashmiri refugees. Majid criticised the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Action Committee (JAAC), saying it had advanced a divisive and opportunistic demand to abolish the 12 reserved refugee seats in the Assembly. He said the agreement reached between the JAAC and federal representatives lacked legitimacy and broad consensus.

Letter to Shehbaz

Chaudhary Akbar Ibrahim said that refugees are not mere political numbers. They are people who have endured decades of displacement. The government needs to show sensitivity to these issues. The ministers who resigned from the PoK government have urged Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and Army Chief General Asim Munir to intervene.