Jammu and Kashmir scales new heights, PoK sans basic amenities

The whooping budget of Rs 1,18,500 crore for the Union Territory for the financial year 2023-24 has special focus on employment generation, women empowerment and social inclusion. 

It has something for every section of the society.

After August 5, 2019—when the Centre abrogated J&K’s so-called special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories—the Himalayan region has witnessed fast paced development from Lakhanpur in Jammu to Uri in North Kashmir. 

The government has taken everyone along by implementing PM Modi’s slogan of “sab ka saath, sab ka vikas.”

Development deficit which J&K witnessed due to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for three long decades has been addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi led regime in three years.       

J&K moving fast on the path of development and prosperity has created unrest in Pakistan occupied Kashmir as Islamabad has never shown any inclination towards developing the region.

Unrest brews in PoK

Jammu and Kashmir is counting investment proposals and the employment avenues that have been created while denizens of PoK, Gilgit and Baltistan are even struggling to get basic amenities.

They are keenly watching how J&K has transformed into a vibrant region and has emerged as the tourism capital of India. Parts of Kashmir that were illegally occupied by Pakistan Army and tribal raiders in 1947 continue to reel under poverty, illiteracy and zero economic growth. 

Rulers in Pakistan have failed to explore the tourism potential of the region. Instead, Islamabad and its Army have turned PoK into a breeding ground for terrorists as a maximum of the terror training camps are based in the region.     

Islamabad has been exploiting hydel resources of PoK for meeting its own requirements, whereas the people of the occupied Kashmir get electricity only for 6 to 8 hours.      

There are no employment avenues in PoK due to the education system being in doldrums and Islamabad not doing anything to promote self employment. Natives have to travel to bigger cities of Pakistan to take up menial jobs like labourers and waiters to feed their families.

In Jammu and Kashmir power outages are minimal and in the next five years the Union Territory is all set to witness an increase in aggregate power generation capacity by 5186 megawatts as 21 hydropower projects are being developed.

Besides providing government jobs to the J&K people, the administration has created lakhs of self employment opportunities for the youth.

They are being provided with the requisite financial support to set up their ventures and live their lives in a dignified manner in their own homeland.

In PoK the number of school drop outs has swelled as very few students reach the colleges and universities. 

In J&K education sector has thrived with colleges and universities producing brilliant achievers. 

Hundreds of students from different states come to J&K to pursue their educational goals, while the number of outside students taking admission in the colleges and varsities of PoK is negligible.  

Muzaffarabad, capital of PoK, can in no way match the twin capitals of J&K i.e. Srinagar and Jammu.

The capital cities of J&K have witnessed massive development and are business hubs where money worth crores is transacted every day. 

Malls, shopping centers and developed roads are the emblems of development, while Muzaffarabad has nothing to show. Islamabad and the local puppet government have failed to develop the beautiful city nestled in the Himalayas.

The impact of Pakistan plunging into an economic crisis has further devastated the denizens of PoK. 

For them life has become more difficult as the prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed. To manage two square meals in a day has become a Herculean task for them. The growing unrest in PoK is becoming visible with each passing day. Denizens of PoK are looking towards J&K and are cursing the day when their area was annexed by tribal raiders and Pakistan Army. 

They are hitting the streets regularly to seek freedom from Islamabad’s tyrannical rule. 

They are openly expressing their desire to get liberated with J&K.

Pakistan Army and other security agencies are making every possible attempt to silence the voices of dissent by using force and committing human rights violations. But the PoK people are losing patience. 

They are hoping that India would come for their rescue and free their region from the clutches of Pakistan.

Indian leadership has also dropped many hints about reclaiming PoK back from Pakistan.

Maharaja Hari Singh, a visionary leader   

Pertinently, when the tribal raiders invaded Kashmir in October 1947, the then ruler of J&K late Maharaja Hari Singh preferred India over Pakistan and independence. He signed the instrument of accession following which the Indian Army landed in Kashmir and pushed back the raiders.

Time has proven that the late Maharaja was a visionary leader as his decision helped the people of J&K to live dignified lives and achieve their goals.

The late Maharaja didn’t surrender to tribal raiders and the soldiers of Pakistan Army who after intruding into Kashmir went on a looting spree and committed gross human rights violations, including mass rapes.   

History stands testimony to the fact that people of Kashmir had fought the raiders valiantly and didn’t allow them to succeed in their machinations.

The Indian Army landing in Kashmir led to raiders beating a retreat and moving back to Pakistan but unfortunately a little portion of J&K which Pakistan calls “Azad Kashmir” was forcibly occupied by the neighbouring country.

People of so-called “Azad Kashmir” were turned into slaves by Pakistan rulers and exploited to hilt.

After 1947 Pakistan fought three conventional wars with India to snatch Kashmir but its Army couldn’t match the skills of the Indian Army and had to bite the dust in every war which it fought.

The proxy war that Pakistan had started in 1990 by sending terrorists into J&K is almost over as terrorism in the region is on its last legs.

PoK citizens raising a banner of revolt against Islamabad’s rule is an indication that the thin line dividing two parts of Jammu and Kashmir is set to get erased.