PoK residents demand merger with India, activist Amjad Ayub Mirza claims

Glasgow [Scotland], February 15 (ANI): A political activist from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Amjad Ayub Mirza has claimed that the people in PoK are fed up with Pakistani occupation and they are now demanding merger with India.
In a video released by Mirza, the activist said, "The people of PoK in the last few days have told me that they now demand to be merged into India, as they are officially their citizens".
"The recent elections in Pakistan have just given us a fractured mandate. The upcoming elections will have a fruitful result for India but we the people of PoK ask that, for how long will we have to wait to get rid of Pakistan's oppression and get merged in India?" the PoK activist added.
Mirza also emphasised the prevailing economic situation in the occupied region. He said that retired government employees in PoK have not received their pension for over 10 months.
According to Mirza, "The retired personnel of Muzaffarabad municipal corporation are not being given pensions, and the situation in their homes is now critical. They don't even have money to purchase important medicines and necessary food items. Additionally, most of them have withdrawn their children from schools, as they don't have money to pay school fees."
He also said, "On one side huge promises were made during Pakistan's general election. Even the so-called government of PoK made huge claims of prosperity, but in reality, the situation remain critical for the people of PoK. My friends back home are continuously contacting me to request help from India for them."
"Whenever someone gets robbed, it is the duty of the administration to conduct a thorough investigation and punish the one who is guilty, further the loot is returned to the victim. However, the people of PoK now ask from the entire world, that the rights, land resources and water resources belonging to the people of PoK are being robbed continuously for the past 76 years. Now, whom should they complain to about these atrocities and how will they get justice?" he added.
People in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have been facing severe challenges for the past several decades. Poverty, high inflation, unemployment and many other issues like poor infrastructure and load shedding remain a cause of worry for a majority of residents.
The region has been facing continuous protests against cuts in wheat subsidies and high electricity bills as the locals have accused Islamabad of exploiting their natural resources for decades now.
The people in PoK and Gilgit Baltistan are irritated over the rapid progress and development in Jammu and Kashmir, whereas they have been facing challenges in managing their basic facilities. (ANI)