‘Kashmir banega Pakistan’ has been the slogan that has reverberated in Jammu and Kashmir.
Despite invading India thrice to forcefully capture Kashmir and also orchestrated terrorism to fulfill its nefarious motive, nothing could be achieved, besides losing thousands of lives including both security forces and civilians.
But now tide is changing and our Western neighbour is facing the risk of losing Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
There has been simmering anger in PoK for a long time due to poor administration and neglect. Now, hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets of PoK over high inflation, heavy taxation and electricity shortage and are also demanding merger with India.
Day-to-day activities and business have remained halted as the clashes turned violent in PoK’s capital Muzaffarabad. The police and army clashed with protesters, which led to intensification of violence. ‘Pakistan se lenge azadi’, ‘lad kelenge azadi’ (we will take freedom from Pakistan, we will fight for our freedom) – slogans were chanted by Kashmiris in PoK in front of the Pakistan army. This is something we saw in J&K.
It seems Pakistan is losing Kashmir. People there have demanded tax-free electricity from the Mangla Dam and subsidies on wheat flour.
In the PoK region, hydro power is the main source of electricity. The Pakistani government has ended their subsidy on electricity and now electricity costs between Rs 16 to 22 per unit in PoK. This is despite the fact that the region is blessed with water resources and is a self-dependent region in electricity production.
The residents of PoK are comparing their situation to East Pakistan in 1971 and the creation of Bangladesh where a popular people’s movement was successful in uprooting the authoritarian Pakistani establishment from its soil.
Like generation of electricity, as late as 1960, approximately 70% of Pakistan’s export earnings originated in East Pakistan, though marginally declined by 1970, but majority of that earning used to be used by the West Pakistan for their development, keeping East Pakistan poor and hungry.
All most in similar pattern, PoK is watching constant growth in Kashmir in India with growing infrastructure, rail connectivity from Jammu to Srinagar, Indian and foreign investment in infrastructure in Kashmir, growing economic prosperity and vast deference in the price index.
Inhabitants of PoK have realised that they are being systematically sidelined same as erstwhile East Pakistan. They are, therefore, asking for ‘azadi’, as before independence they were part of independent Kashmir, or be allowed to merge with India.
Today Pakistan is faced with many problems such as poverty, insecurity, sectarianism and terrorism. The reasons for these problems are lack of tolerance, lack of general awareness, unchecked corruption and illiteracy promoted by an ineffective education system.
The country is grappling with severe inflation, a declining currency, and critically low foreign reserves, posing significant concerns for its financial stability. International Monetary Fund hesitates to release any further loan to Pakistan.
Some people talk about taking PoK by use of force resulting into exchange of nuclear warheads. But the situation as so developing in PoK and all over Pakistan,that it may lead Pakistan to disintegrate in itself in different small ‘unhappy’ States.
PoK being adjacent to Pakistan it may merge with India in popular demand from the PoK people.
This situation in PoK has given more ammo to the BJP leadership in India, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who have been saying that PoK will be integrated into India.
This should act as an eye-opener to all the separatists in Kashmir, who must have realised by now that Pakistan is in no position to take care of itself, leave alone Indian Kashmir. Indications are clear that Pakistan is losing grip over not only PoK, which is edging closer to becoming part of India, but entire Pakistan.
