Neglected Aftershocks: PoJK's Unmet Promises 19 Years After Earthquake

Jamil Maqsood of the UKPNP criticizes the Pakistani government's inadequate response, nearly two decades after the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Despite early pledges for rebuilding efforts, essential public services like education and healthcare remain in disrepair, leaving communities reliant on outside help amidst systemic neglect.

Jamil Maqsood, head of the Foreign Affairs Committee for the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP), has voiced significant concerns over the apparent failure of authorities in addressing the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Registering at 7.6 on the Richter scale, the earthquake devastated entire villages and crucial infrastructures, leaving both urban and rural regions severely affected.

Maqsood lambasted the PoJK government's response, particularly their inability to restore educational facilities. He highlighted that nearly two decades post-disaster, the region's primary schools and key public sectors remain in collapse. Despite promises of reconstruction, hundreds of schools remain neglected while infrastructures such as roads, hospitals, and bridges continue to languish.

Official reports reveal that more than 6,000 schools were either destroyed or severely damaged, forcing students into temporary shelters and unsafe buildings. Healthcare facilities remain dilapidated, burdening the already stressed medical system. The government's pledges, championed by ERRA, remain largely unfulfilled, driven by funding deficits, corruption, and mismanagement, leaving local communities dependent on donations.

(With inputs from agencies.)