Pilgrim Perils: Poor Road Conditions Challenge Faithful in PoGB

Pilgrims in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB) face severe challenges due to poor road conditions while journeying to a pilgrimage site. They endure extreme heat, treacherous paths, and lack of amenities, highlighting the region's infrastructural neglect since its occupation by Pakistan in 1947.

Pilgrims headed to a sacred site near the high mountain peaks of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB) have raised alarm over deplorable road conditions, Skardu TV reports. Many spent extra hours navigating the arduous terrain to reach the resting place of Ayatullah Sheikh Ali.

The journey, undertaken during the last days of Muharram, was fraught with hardships. A traveller cited extreme heat and poorly maintained roads, lamenting, 'The path is treacherous. We carried heavy loads, and even the street signs were misleading. Some lost their way in the mountains.'

Another traveller noted, 'We began our journey from Skardu at night, only to be warned by locals about dilapidated roads. Contracts were given years ago, but no development has occurred.' The lack of infrastructure exacerbates the struggle for elderly, women, and children, with no amenities for rest after an exhaustive eight-hour climb. The neglect in road construction has long been an issue since Pakistan's occupation of Gilgit-Baltistan in 1947, stalling economic growth and connectivity in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)