The administration of Pakistan occupied Gilgit Baltistan (POGB) has remained under a strict scrutiny and control of Pakistan, this could be understood by a fact that it uses its regional apparatus called POGB government to install its favourite people at the helm of important affairs. Interestingly, this had proved to be a successful attempt to control the illegally occupied Gilgit Baltistan. In the latest move, it has again adopted the same tactic to sieve out the people-oriented officials in the food department. The occupying government in POGB has named undesignated and junior staff as the head of district, causing dismay in the senior officials of Assistant Director rank, who are far more eligible and possess requisite qualifications and experience.
Criticising the occupying government’s step, some of the officials like Sultan Mehmood AD Skardu, Syed Aamir Hussian AD Gilgit and Aniga Ghulam Rasool AD HQ wrote a letter to the Food director of POGB calling the move as contradictory to the “principles of fair and transparent governance“ and erodes the “morale and integrity of department.”
Food Department officials abandon all work in protest
Accordingly, food department officials have announced an unending protest abandoning the work until a merit-based transfer-posting system is established. Notably, a few weeks ago, the people of POGB were on the streets for wheat. Pakistan and its puppet government have taken a hostage of people and their resources who are getting their rights like alms, in turn they are not even given proper wheat. The recent move is guided by the same mindset to position those who are not loyal to people but the occupying government so that the crucial amenities like food gets to the people on their terms.
Essentially, this is another move to keep a strong hold of the people. No entity that calls itself a government would try to bypass the merit to place people under its patronage to some of the most crucial positions, especially when those candidates are incompetent and ineligible.
The move made is apparently a challenge to the people and demands them to get their shoelace tight as they may get into another friction with the occupying government in near future, only this time it would be related to food department.