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| Cruel, inhuman: Pakistan blocks food, medicine supplies to PoJK residents | | | Sanjay Pandita
Early Times Report
Jammu, June 18: Collective punishment and administrative high-handedness have surfaced from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), where residents protesting for basic civic amenities have reportedly been denied access to essential supplies, including food grains, medicines and other daily necessities.
According to local activists and reports emerging from the occupied territory, Pakistani authorities have stopped the movement of ration and supply trucks to areas where demonstrations are underway, deepening the hardships faced by thousands of residents already struggling with inadequate public services, unemployment and rising inflation.
The protests, which have been continuing in several parts of PoJK, are centred on long-standing demands for affordable electricity, subsidised wheat flour, better healthcare facilities, employment opportunities and greater accountability in governance.
Residents have repeatedly accused the authorities of neglecting the region's development needs while exploiting its natural resources.
Human rights activists claim that instead of addressing these grievances, the authorities have resorted to intimidation and punitive measures aimed at discouraging public dissent. Protesters allege that restrictions on the movement of essential commodities have created a humanitarian crisis in several localities, with vulnerable groups, including children, elderly persons and patients, bearing the brunt of the shortages.
Advocate Khawaja Mehran, a prominent social and political activist from PoJK, highlighted the worsening situation and expressed concern over the reported blockade of essential supplies.
"The trucks carrying food supplies, medicines and other necessities must b Several activists have alleged that security forces have intensified surveillance and restrictions.
They have created an atmosphere of fear among residents and instead of initiating dialogue, the authorities have adopted a confrontational approach.
The latest allegations have once again drawn attention to the socio-economic conditions prevailing in PoJK,
Local groups have frequently accused the Pakistani administration of neglecting public welfare and curbing civil liberties.
He warned that withholding essential commodities from citizens exercising their democratic right to protest amounts to collective punishment and reflects the authorities' failure to engage constructively with the people’s concerns.
Residents participating in the agitation have accused the administration of attempting to suppress their movement through coercive measures rather than addressing the issues that brought them to the streets. Protest leaders maintain that their demands are neither political nor unreasonable, but relate to basic human needs such as food security, healthcare, education, electricity and employment.
Several activists have also alleged that security forces have intensified surveillance and restrictions in areas witnessing demonstrations, creating an atmosphere of fear among residents. They claim that instead of initiating dialogue, the authorities have adopted a confrontational approach that has further alienated the local population.
The latest allegations have once again drawn attention to the socio-economic conditions prevailing in PoJK, where local groups have frequently accused the Pakistani administration of neglecting public welfare and curbing civil liberties. Human rights advocates have urged the authorities to ensure uninterrupted access to food, medicines and other essential services, while engaging with protesters through peaceful dialogue to address their grievances.
As protests continue, residents insist that they will maintain their agitation until their long-pending demands for basic amenities and improved living conditions are addressed. |
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