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Grace Valley, a picturesque region in Neelum district of Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), holds immense potential for tourism. Yet, it has suffered decades of neglect, with no meaningful development in sight in the past seventy years.
The number of visitors remain dismally low due to poor road connectivity and crumbling infrastructure in the region. Today, Grace Valley stands as a symbol of broken promises and systemic exploitation. The few roads that exist are in such a dilapidated condition that locals say even a short journey can be hazardous. There are no hospitals, no functioning schools, and no reliable public services -- leaving the valley's residents feeling abandoned. Frustration among locals is mounting. In a video posted on Facebook, Khawaja Mujtaba Bandey, a local nationalist leader, described the deplorable road conditions and slammed the authorities: "This is not a place for human life anymore. They call Neelum Valley heaven, but Grace Valley has been turned into hell by the very people who claim to represent us." Bandey accused successive local politicians of working at Islamabad's behest, misusing public funds, ignoring the valley's fundamental needs, and failing to deliver even basic improvements. Despite official claims of large budget allocations for development, on-ground realities reveal a grim story of mismanagement and elite-driven agendas. With local elections on the horizon, Bandey has urged residents to reject these so-called representatives. He called on the people of Grace Valley and the wider Neelum region to unite on July 13 in a mass protest organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Action Committee. The protest aims to hold officials accountable for decades of looting, neglect, and suffering. Though long overlooked in official plans, the voices rising from Grace Valley's neglected roads now demand justice, and they will no longer be silenced. (ANI)
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