PoK: University of Poonch lacks infrastructure, VC calls for its redressal

Rawalakot [PoK], July 26 : The University of Poonch in the Rawalakot district of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has been struggling with a critical shortage of infrastructure and student accommodation.
The vice chancellor of the university has asked all stakeholders to play their role in addressing this issue at the earliest, The Dawn newspaper reported.
Addressing a meeting on Monday, Prof Dr Mohammad Zakria Zakar, who was earlier serving as the founding vice chancellor of the University of Okara, said that he would give equal importance to infrastructural development and academic excellence as they are linked greatly.
The Poonch University, founded in 2014, has its main campus in Rawalakot, and in the district headquarters in Poonch.
The University has more than 5,500 students and it has 32 departments, a media report said.
A new campus of the university was being constructed in Chota Galla on the outskirts of Rawalakot, however, the work was halted in 2018 due to the internal issues of the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) which was sponsoring the project.
Massive protests have been taking place across PoK over high inflation and denial of basic human rights by the Pakistani authorities.
The people in PoK are denied basic rights and they have been facing numerous challenges like high inflation, poor education and health facilities.
Whenever they raise their voice for their fundamental rights, the security agencies use brutal force to muzzle dissent.
Last week, dozens of angry residents in several parts of PoK blocked roads over Islamabad's harsh policies that are reportedly hurting the economic interest of locals.
PoK's four million residents have never been allowed to speak a word and address their political and socio-economic grievances.
Its high unemployment rate, poor infrastructure, and lack of resources force its citizens to migrate to large cities of Pakistan where they are only allowed menial jobs as labourers, cleaners at hotels, drivers, etc.
Pakistan is unable even to provide the bare minimum necessary to keep people alive in its colonized state, reported Asian Lite International.
The difference in allocation of funds as well as development projects in Kashmir - PoK and Kashmir amply describes the tale of two Kashmirs.
At the beginning of this fiscal year, India presented a USD 13.33 billion budget for the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory. New Delhi allocates nearly five times more funds to J&K than Islamabad allocates for PoK.
While India is implementing several new projects in Jammu and Kashmir to meet the demands of the post-Covid economy, PoK on the other hand has suffered many budgetary cuts with the government favouring corrupt politicians as well China making inroads into the territory and using the land to fulfil its ambitions.