By: Zulfiqar Ali (Kashmir Investigation Team)
MUZAFFARABAD: As the clouds of war are looming in the region amid the rising tensions between Pakistan and India, the Azad Kashmir government has not yet issued any formal instructions to deal with the emergency.
A government official, on condition of anonymity, told Kashmir Digital that they have not received any instructions from the government, adding that they could not take any steps on their own regarding the possible emergency.
However, he claimed that he is ready to deal with any emergency.
Meanwhile, the government has directed all government employees to be present in the offices.
On the other hand, no practical steps have been taken to protect the citizens. The construction of any new shelter has not been started and no funds have been allocated for any such project. No additional staff have been deployed in hospitals, nor have medicines been stocked.
Local people are not being trained in first aid and firefighting. However, the Civil Defense Department has started training in some schools in Muzaffarabad for a week from Wednesday to deal with any emergency, which some officials said is symbolic.
In addition to that, the government has also not issued any instructions regarding food storage.
If there is a need to migrate from the border areas, there is no transport arrangement to take people to safe places. There is no awareness campaign by the government on radio, TV, and social media yet.
Mosques are not being used for awareness, nor is awareness being given in schools. No material related to precautionary measures has been distributed in homes. There is also no clear plan to prevent rumors. Officials admit that funds have not been allocated for these possible measures.
Officials also admitted that local volunteers have not been activated to deal with any emergency. Many people added that they feel as if they are responsible for their own safety.
“The protection of citizens is the primary responsibility of the government, but in the current situation, the government’s silence is tantamount to abdicating this responsibility,” said Rafiq Ahmed, a resident of Muzaffarabad.
It should be noted that some shelters were built near the Line of Control during past tensions, but they are now being cleaned and repaired by the locals themselves. The situation on the Line of Control has been relatively calm since February 2021.
However, during the recent tensions, there was an exchange of fire between the Indian and Pakistani armies at a few places, and Pakistan has also claimed to have shot down three Indian quadcopters.
During this time, there were protests in Azad Kashmir in favor of the Pakistani army and against India. Meanwhile, overall life is normal, and tourists are also visiting Azad Kashmir.
