Muzaffarabad, October 7, 2025 — What began as a routine cricket commentary has unexpectedly stirred political controversy across South Asia. Pakistan’s former women’s cricket captain and renowned commentator Sana Mir has found herself defending her words after referring to “Azad Kashmir” during a live broadcast of the Pakistan vs Bangladesh match.
During the coverage, Mir introduced Pakistani player Natalia Pervaiz, mentioning that she hails from “Azad Kashmir,” the Pakistan-administered region of the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The comment sparked criticism from Indian social media users and some media outlets, accusing her of making a “political statement.”
Clarification and Reaction
In response, Sana Mir issued a clarification, stating that she did not intentionally use the term “Azad Kashmir.” She shared a screenshot from ESPN Cricinfo, which had originally listed Natalia Pervaiz’s birthplace as Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The platform has since modified the description to “Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir.”
“I simply read what was written on Cricinfo’s player profile,” Mir explained, emphasizing that her comment was not politically motivated.
A Region of Complex Identities
The Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains one of the world’s longest unresolved territorial conflicts — spanning over seven decades since the partition of British India in 1947. The region is divided into four administrative parts: two under Pakistan’s control (Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan), and two under India’s administration (Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh). A fifth portion, Aksai Chin, remains under China’s control.
Home to diverse ethnicities, languages, and religions, the people of Jammu and Kashmir share a complex history of unity and division. Following the 1947 uprising in Poonch against autocratic rule, the region was split by the newly independent states of Pakistan and India — giving rise to what continues to be recognized internationally as the Kashmir conflict.
Freedom and Identity Debates
Ironically, while many Kashmiris are often criticized for not using the term “Azad” (meaning “free”), Sana Mir now faces backlash for having used it. The debate highlights how even linguistic choices remain deeply political in discussions related to Kashmir.
For Kashmiris, the issue is not merely about terminology — it is about representation, identity, and the unfulfilled promise of self-determination, a right acknowledged by the United Nations but yet to be realized.
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