Villages surrounding Skardu city in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) are enduring extreme hardship due to the occupied-govt’s gross neglect and mismanagement. The occupying regime, under the Pak Army’s rule, continues to suppress and exploit the local population while failing to provide even the most basic infrastructure and services.
In Sadpara, a village near the Satpara Lake just a few kilometers from Skardu, the situation is dire. Residents are grappling with severe infrastructural deficiencies, particularly the glaring absence of a civil dispensary. Despite numerous appeals, the village remains devoid of essential services. This neglect has resulted in tragic consequences, including the recent deaths of two newborn babies who lacked access to proper medical care.
Sadpara, despite being close to a major tourist attraction, is starkly deprived of fundamental amenities. The village suffers from poor road connectivity, inadequate infrastructure, and a complete absence of electricity. This stark lack of basic services is a direct consequence of the occupying government’s exploitation of the region’s resources and the systematic marginalization of its people.
A local resident expressed their frustration, saying, “We have repeatedly raised the issue of the civil dispensary, but it remains woefully understaffed and ill-equipped. There is only one person present when there should be three technical staff members, and the essential medical staff, including nurses and Lady Health Assistants, are completely absent.”
Skardu’s Crisis
This dire situation is exacerbated by the fact that the only available dispensary has recently been closed, further jeopardizing the health and safety of the villagers. The resident said, “The dispensary is often closed, and when it is open, the dispenser arrives late in the day, making it nearly impossible for villagers to get timely medical attention. The administration’s indifference to our plight is unacceptable. We demand immediate action, or at the very least, the provision of an ambulance to our village.”
Another resident highlighted the plight and ongoing struggle with obtaining essential medicines, criticizing the occupied-govt’s failure to ensure their availability.
The situation in occupied-Gilgit-Baltistan serves as a stark reminder of the broader issues under Paki establishment rule. The occupying government’s consistent suppression, resource exploitation, and neglect have left the population marginalized and without access to education, healthcare, or basic infrastructure. This ongoing crisis underscores that the occupying government in POGB is working directly under the influence of Islamabad, with the no responsibility towards people.