Amjad Ayub Mirza, an activist from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), released a statement on Thursday detailing the ongoing developmental challenges faced by the region. Mirza claimed that Pakistan has kept PoJK underdeveloped to ensure continued dominance and control over the local population, enabling it to perpetuate its abuses without interference.
Mirza’s statement sharply criticized the governance structure in PoJK, asserting that the elected Muzaffarabad Legislative Assembly operates merely as a puppet of Pakistan’s home ministry and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He pointed out that despite the region’s needs, there have been no substantial efforts to foster economic growth or enhance infrastructure.
Instead, the region’s economic and infrastructural stagnation persists, with little to no advancement in promoting industrial development or improving tourism, which remains tightly controlled by Pakistan’s defence forces.
Mirza further highlighted severe infrastructural deficiencies in PoJK, emphasizing the persistent power outages that can last up to 23.5 hours a day. He questioned the feasibility of any industry thriving under such conditions and described the critical shortage of clean drinking water.
Residents are forced to rely on river water despite the region’s rich natural water resources, exposing them to health risks and severe inconvenience.
In addition, Mirza condemned the abysmal state of roads in both PoJK and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), noting that poor infrastructure has led to numerous fatal accidents.
“The condition of roads is pathetic people often die from falling into deep valleys because the government could not build safe roads in PoGB and PoJK. If a city by chance has hospitals then it does not have doctors, if there are doctors there are no health facilities,” says Mirza, regarding the state of the infrastructure of the area.
He also criticized the healthcare system, pointing out that many hospitals lack basic amenities, qualified doctors, and essential medications. Government hospitals are described as inadequate, with military hospitals being the only facilities kept up to standard.
He further talks about the educational sector faring no better, with government schools and colleges in dire conditions. Many institutions suffer from a shortage of classrooms, teachers, and resources, leaving students with limited educational opportunities.
Private schools, on the other hand, are often out of reach for average families due to high costs. Mirza’s statement paints a grim picture of the living conditions in PoJK and PoGB, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive development and support to address these systemic issues and improve the quality of life for residents.