Javed Iqbal
From being born near the shores of River Vitasta (Jehlum), some 40kms east to the legislative capital of Pakistan administered Kashmir (aka AJK); Muzaffarabad, the writer was raised being overwhelmed by the paranoia; that my birthplace was rich in resources, capital, energy & every parameter from whom some giant brain can manipulate how much developed the territory is. This paranoia never came into play here (in Kashmir), few decades back when my ancestors were actually contributinginto the progress of the state where their forefathers had ruled and sustained peace as Kashmir was once the emblem of peace in the World. Those gentlemen lift the Kashmir on their shoulders from every downtrodden state and utilized every natural resource efficiently to make Kashmir prosper. They never thought even what the next generation will do with the state they were leaving behind. I have been forced by miserable stance of my people and lamentable position of my land exactly antiparallel to the global up bloom in technology, agricultural reforms, industrial production, new modes of education, health,summarily in each sector to write this critique hoping this might prove crucial for those who are capable to change the contemporary dilemma. Let’s start from agriculture, this might shock. To date there is not a single export of any agricultural commodity which AJK export outside the country or inside to other provinces. Crops such as wheat, corn and rice were once cultivated in the so-called Azad Jammu and Kashmir on the massive scale to meet the domestic needs as well as to make some capital from it few decades back. Even vegetables, fruits and dry fruits have been transported to the nearby national market in Rawalpindi from where our products spread along the entire Pakistan. The trade was on high altitude. Apple, walnut, peach, some citruses were common productions but today no clue of them. You will not observe a single example like this today. But the question is how and why we have changed our behaviours with each passing day. There may be multiple reasons but the actual will be the reckless and foolish attitude of my countrymen vis a vis to agriculture and domestic production. They thought why should we grow something to feed ourselves while on the other hand someone in white knitted peasantry clothes from far-flung village deep in Central or South Punjabgrow and sent into the open market of Rawalpindi where our local traders purchased and then bring it to every nook of AJK. Why should we bother ourselves? (the psyche of residents of AJK). They are now accustomed to eat without doing any physical activity. This leads highly fertilized hectares to extremely barren lands lacking future to again revitalize and flourish. Have you ever heard the sentence “Made in Kashmir or Made in AJK”. You would never……. How can, you expect this from a land where agricultural sector is already weakened over time. Industrialization is Order of the Day, but not true for AJK, where people are expressing such level debacle against physical work. Doing nothing is worse but feeling proud over this rather to redress it, is a more lethal approach. The capital Muzaffarabad has not a single industry to produce. People have no interest, answer I have already explained, why to made goods as your own when everything can be bought from nearby provinces. Kashmir is the Switzerland of South Asia. We can cash it but, How? The Government of AJK is devoid of taking any substantial measures to promote tourism culture to facilitate and accommodate tourists promoting Koshur-culture where they stay. But who will ring the bell? AJK has been on a wide level deforestation, the timber illegally transported out of AJK turned lush green meadows to sunken deserts. This deplantation caused climate change and global warming. AJK didn’t remain as much attractive as it was decades before, because the snow fed hilltops are naked today. This massive bandit over natural resources has much more consequences than our cognizance.How we impede our Switzerland from turning to Sahara. Definitely, we can never until we put some sort of mercy over this motherland which our forefathers left for us. The world is investing in education, to strengthen this sector with modern technologies. Few months back my own alma mater was equipped with first ever computer lab in any school of the district, too early than too late approximately a century after the invention of computer. A huge number of youngsters are now representing their counties within the AJK or in other provinces. Those who are pursuing degreeswithinthe AJK are coping with poor internet facilities, is another major outbreak here. In 2024, how can a student learn without internet services. Those who are responsible for this have turned their backs to this issue. Mobile services toogo hand in hand withthis grim situation. In every district there are DHQs (District Headquarter Hospitals) with two CMHs (Combined Military Hospitals) in Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot. But this sector is still not upto the mark despite of the three medical colleges (Muzaffarabad, Mirpur &Rawalakot). We grew by listening “immediately take this patient to Pindi or Abbottabad” one of the ineptphysicians desperately said, “we can’t treat him/her here, we are devoid of some medical equipments and personnels”. What the hell! How can a patient be traveled from far flung village Arang Kel to Rawalpindi, ten hours straight drive via dense mountainous region, besides patients’ critical situation in a tattered ambulance. Who is responsible if the patient left for eternal abode? Should we call it murder and file a case against the government who turned my motherland more depreciated in basic health facilities with more remoteness than it held? Verily, such elites are incapable to answer this. What about the energy & power sector, where my land is producing enough electricity and have tendency to produce more at the cost of their lives, slaughtering their water resources, in return facing heavy shortfalls routinely. Kishan-ganga (currently Neelum River) sacrificed itself and biodiversity it was enrich to the national cause of power generation but all in vain. People are not getting what they have provided. This semi-autonomous state of AJK is still cumbersome in natural resources, we can start implantation on massive scale to regain our lost picturesque & reverse the grim climate change. Education, health and energy sectors can be reengineered if the elites sitting in power quarters cleansed the attitude of ignorance and unacceptance from their deaf ears. AJK should be industrialized to eradicate unemployment with some agreements to the professional universities, to make AJK economically independent. But the attitude of my own people and bigotry of our electables, is deterrent in this path. This insider critic is adamantly looking forward to see his Motherland-AJK again to the right path.
