POK full form

POK full form is Pak Occupied Kashmir. The term is used by India for the portion of Kashmir, which is under the Pakistani government or administration. The POK is also known as Azad Jammu & Kashmir & Gilgit Baltistan. POK is located in the northern part of India.

What is the Full Form of POK?

As mentioned above the full form of POK is Pak-Occupied Kashmir. It is a portion of Jammu & Kashmir state which is illegally captured by Pakistan. The POK is further subdivided into two provinces that consist of Azad Kashmir & Gilgit Baltistan provinces. The section of Azard Kashmir is joined with the western section of Kashmir which comes under Indian territory and Gilgit Baltistan was earlier the portion of Ladakh which Pakistan took in 1957. The POK is a different area from the original portion which was controlled by Pakistan after the partition. 

History of POK

The history of POK is very complex and goes a long time back. The area/ portion of POK has a long history which includes cultural and linguistic diversity. During the independence from British rule in the year 1947 the province of Jammu & Kashmir including the part of POK and Baltistan was ruled by a Hindu king popularly known as Maharaja. During the partition, the king decided to be part of India but the population opposed the decision because the province was having a huge Muslim population as they wanted to make their own Muslim state. During the conflict, Pakistan tried to take advantage and sent military troops to support the Muslim population which resulted in the first Indo- Pakistan war in 1957-48. The war ended after the UN-brokered ceasefire and the LOC, full form of which is the Line of Control, was established between India and Pakistan to divide both countries. Since that time the region or portion remained a disputed territory as both claim their control. 

When Did India Lose POK? 

During the partition in 1947 when the British Empire was divided into states which consisted of India and Pakistan which were made on the basis of religious lines. The area of Jammu and Kashmir was ruled by the Hindu King named Maharaja Hari Singh, during the division he was asked to select one state but he wanted to be independent but later he signed the Instrument of Accession and decided to be part of India but his population opposed the decision as the majority of the population was Muslim. Thus later to support the Muslim community Pakistan sent its troops which led to the first war between both countries. At the end of the battle, Pakistan captured some portion of Kashmir which is known as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK full form).

About Instrument of Accession 

It was the legal document designed for the ruler who wanted to be part of India, especially for Jammu and Kashmir during the partition. Through the partition, the province of J&K was given two options: either to be part of India or Pakistan. The King Maharaja Hari Singh refused to accept the options and wanted to be independent. After that Pakistani tribals started assaulting and to deal with this problem the Maharaja asked the Indian Governor to help. After resolving the issue, the Maharaja was again asked to choose one side and on 26 October Maharaja decided to join India by signing the legal document named Instrument of Accession.  

Some Interesting Facts about POK

• The region of POK, full form of which is Pak Occupied Kashmir, is situated in the western Himalayas & is bordered by Afghanistan on the northwest, with China from the north and India by the east and south. 
• The area of POK is approximately 12,297 square miles which is around 34,639 kms.
• The total population of POK is approx. 4.6 million. 
• The majority of the POK population consists of Muslims and a low majority of Hindus & Buddhists.
• The POK main language consists of Urdu & Kashmiri.
• The area of POK is divided into 10 districts which include Muzaffarabad (capital of OPK), Mirpur, Kotli, Hattian Bala, Neelam Valley, Poonch, Bagh, Haveli, and Sudhanoti. 
• The POK has a semi-presidential govt. which includes a president and PM who are head of the state and government.
• The economy of Pak Occupied Kashmir (POK full form) completely depends on agriculture which includes crops like rice, wheat, and maize.
• The area also consists of textile, pharmaceuticals & engineering industries.