Muzaffarabad (POK) Apr 19: A massive protest rally erupted in Muzaffarabad against the oppressive rule of the Pakistani authorities in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Instead of listening to their concerns, the police resorted to baton charge on the peaceful demonstrators and took them into custody. Activists claim the benefits of economic development are not passed over to local youths. For a long time, unemployment has remained a major concern for the people and is stoking tension in the region. Even after the much-touted move by the Pakistan government of changing the face of the economy, the China-Pakistan Economic corridor has failed to bring any result for the locals. It is seen as a sheer attempt to exploit the resource-rich region. People living in the Pok region have long suffered the Pakistan government’s apathy. It ranks among the poorest and most underdeveloped regions in the country and people continue to reel under poverty.
