By : Khawaja Kabir Ahmed
In the recent political history of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, if any public platform has made the issue of elite privileges, unfair distribution of resources and government transparency the center of discussion, it is the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Public Action Committee in the Pakistan-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir. The basic demand of this movement has been clear from the beginning that the monopoly of a few privileged classes on state resources should be abolished and the fundamental rights of the common citizen should be protected.
However, this public struggle has faced resistance, government criticism and, on some occasions, strong state response from the very beginning. The recent press conference of a federal minister of Pakistan will further intensify this movement, in which he alleged that “the Joint Public Action Committee is an obstacle in the way of development projects and the federation is (according to him) providing projects worth billions of rupees in this region.”
This statement is apparently a strong claim in favor of development, but there are several fundamental questions associated with it.
Claims of billions of rupees and also the question of transparency. The federal minister of Pakistan referred to development projects worth billions of rupees in his speech, but the question in the minds of the people is where are the practical fruits of these projects visible?
For the past several decades, the people of the region have been listening to announcements, press conferences and newspaper statements. New promises of development have emerged in each era, but the basic problems of unemployment, power shortage, inadequate health and education facilities have continued to exist on the ground.
The position of the public circles is that if billions of rupees are really being spent, why is there no complete description, independent audit, and public monitoring system? The real measure of development is not paper figures but the improvement in the lives of the common citizen.
An important aspect of the struggle of the Joint Public Action Committee has been the peaceful marches and rallies through which the people presented their demands. However, the use of force in government-sponsored crackdowns on these protests is not hidden from anyone.
According to eyewitnesses and local reports, incidents of lathi-charge, shelling and arrests have strained the atmosphere. Several activists have faced imprisonment and some fatal incidents, including the testimonies of JPAC activists that have become history, have pushed the movement into a more sensitive phase. This situation raises a fundamental question: if a movement peacefully demands accountability and transparency, why is it responded to with force? Is it democratic to consider dissent as an obstacle?
The JPAC’s main objection is not to the concept of development but to its methodology. According to the committee, if a large portion of development funds remain confined to the elite, bureaucracy or specific political circles and do not reach the common citizen, then it cannot be called people’s development.
The recent statement by a Pakistani federal minister in a press conference that “the Action Committee is an obstacle to development” does not match the ground realities according to critics. Public circles say that this movement is actually an obstacle to the privileged structures that have been controlling resources for years.
If development is truly in the public interest, then why is there no dialogue with those who raise questions? Why the fear of transparency? And why is the independent audit or monitoring system not strengthened? Above all, why are the privileges of the elite not abolished?
Another important aspect is representation. The Joint Public Action Committee does not call itself the voice of public aspirations, but rather the people consider the Joint Public Action Committee to be their spokesperson. Its popularity and public participation are being seen as a sign that a new political consciousness is emerging in the region, one that emphasizes practical accountability rather than just slogans. The continuation of this movement despite state repression, arrests and negative narratives indicates that the problem is not simply one of political disagreement but of deep economic and social imbalances.
Development in the region must happen. This is the dream of every person in this region, but the question is, development for whom and how? Billions of rupees worth of projects for the privileges of the elite, political interests and nepotism do not actually come under the umbrella of development of a common man.
If billions of rupees are really being spent on public welfare, then what is the reason for avoiding transparency and accountability? And if a public platform demands fair distribution of resources, why should it be considered an obstacle?
The struggle of the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Public Action Committee has done at least this much that it has made the question of development, privileges and the difference in public rights a central political issue with a clear difference.
And history shows that power may be temporary, but public consciousness is long-lasting. If transparency and justice are not given priority, statements and press conferences may have a temporary effect, but they cannot silence the questions of the people about their own fundamental rights and their own authority over their own resources.
٭٭٭
Share this content:
