Crisis deepens in Pakistan as human rights activist warns of complete meltdown
Apr 06, 2024
Glasgow [Scotland], April 6 : In a stark warning, prominent human rights activist Amjad Ayub Mirza has expressed concern about Pakistan's escalating crisis, painting a bleak picture of the nation's future.
Mirza asserts that Pakistan is hurtling towards a complete meltdown, citing widespread discontent and unrest across various regions.
Mirza highlighted the plight of Gilgit-Baltistan and said that people in the region are protesting on the streets, raising demands for basic rights encompassing economic, social, political, and human rights.
Similarly, in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, protests against electricity bills and a civil disobedience movement persist, with plans for a mass sit-in protest next month.
"People are protesting against the electricity bill boycott campaign, and the civil disobedience movement is still alive and kicking. On the 11th of May, which is next month, hundreds and thousands of people are marching towards Muzaffarabad to observe a sit-in protest against additional charges added to the electricity bills, against taxes, and against cuts in subsidies," PoK activist Mirza told ANI.
He added, "The sit-in will be observed at the so-called legislative assembly of Azad Kashmir, which has no powers even to make the slightest legislation. Yet it is called a Legislative Assembly."
He also described the situation in Balochistan province and shared that the university teachers and staff in the region have not been paid for the last four months, leading to protests.
Mirza underscored the dire state of the education system, with students deprived of academic books for three months. Moreover, the World Bank predicts that ten million people in Pakistan may slip into poverty in the coming months.
The activist further laments the ongoing crisis in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where the absence of an official border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has led to turmoil and attacks.
Pakistan's relations with neighbouring countries, including Iran, Afghanistan, and India, are characterised by hostility and suspicion, exacerbating the nation's isolation.
The recent attack on Chinese engineers near the Dasu Dam has strained Pakistan's ties with China, with repercussions for crucial infrastructure projects.
Mirza concludes that Pakistan is on the brink of collapse, advocating for the balkanization of the country to address the grievances of oppressed nations within its borders.
As tensions continue to mount and socio-economic challenges deepen, Pakistan finds itself at a critical crossroads, with an uncertain future looming ahead.