People's purchasing power has collapsed in PoK and GB: Activist

Glasgow [Scotland], April 12 : Amjad Ayub Mirza, a political activist from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), stressed on Friday that the situation in the region is getting worse by the day, adding that the people's buying power has collapsed.
This year, on the occasion of Eid Ul-Fitr, the locals found it very difficult to manage their expenses with the available job opportunities and income.
Mirza, in his recent video statement, said, "The situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan is getting worse by the day. Inflation is very high. People's buying powers have collapsed and it was evident over Eid that people could not afford to buy goods for their families."
They could not afford to buy new clothes for their children. Hundreds of thousands of families could not afford to buy even a pair of shoes for their children," he added.
The international community has underestimated the socio-political and economic factors affecting the people of PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan with their occupied status and inadequate infrastructure.
People are complaining about unfair tax increases, an unusual rise in electricity costs despite protracted blackouts, and a crisis of vital services in the area that the state is fabricating.
PoK activist Mirza further emphasised that nobody is listening to these common men's outcry and that no social security net can ensure a dignified life for the unemployed or those facing poverty due to the crippled economy.
"People are calling out for help. Nobody is listening to the outcry of the common men and women in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir. The situation worsened during Eid, people were expecting that they would be paid their salaries and pensions but for months they have been denied their wages and pensions. No social security net can ensure a dignified life for the unemployed or destitute because of the economic crisis," he added.
Moreover, the calls for fundamental rights have intensified into massive protests in Gilgit-Baltistan. All political, religious, and social organisations are demonstrating against load shedding and inflation and demanding basic amenities in the area. The locals from all walks of life are supporting the movement.
While referring to the ignorance and media blackout of the rights of the people on the part of the Pakistani administration, Mirza highlighted that foreign journalists are not even allowed to enter that area to report on the ground situation.
"PoK presents a classic picture of a nation suffering from a humanitarian crisis, but at the same time, the world does not know about it because there is a total media blackout in POK and GB. Foreign journalists are not even allowed to enter that area, let alone to report the situation on the ground," he said.
Mirza further said that the media in PoK and GB is controlled by the Press Information Department (PID), Islamabad.
"Any newspaper that publishes a controversial report has its editors summoned, threatened, and, in the worst case scenario, their licences are cancelled," he added.