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As Pakistan prepares to mark "Kashmir Solidarity Day" on February 5 with slogans, rallies and official statements expressing concern for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, large parts of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) continue to face prolonged electricity outages, leaving residents struggling amid harsh winter conditions.
While Islamabad projects concern for Kashmiris on international platforms, residents in the territory it controls are struggling to survive harsh winter conditions amid prolonged power outages. In PoJK, electricity has become a luxury rather than a right. A crumbling power distribution system, chronic mismanagement, and unchecked electricity theft have left communities in darkness, especially during the peak winter season when reliable power is critical for heating and survival. Sub-zero temperatures, coupled with repeated grid failures after snowfall, have turned daily life into a hardship for thousands of families. Even Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoJK, has not been spared. Social activist Roshan Mughal says the city's electricity infrastructure was failing long before the recent snowfall worsened the situation. "Residents were receiving low voltage even under normal conditions. After snowfall, entire areas were cut off," he said, describing a system on the verge of collapse." The crisis extends beyond remote areas to urban centres, where decades-old transmission lines, weakened poles, and overloaded transformers routinely fail during routine winter weather. Power lines snap during snow and high winds, leaving residents without electricity for days. Emergency response and repair mechanisms remain slow and ineffective. Despite repeated public complaints, authorities have failed to implement lasting solutions. Residents accuse the electricity department of relying on temporary fixes while ignoring structural reform. Allegations of corruption and electricity theft, allegedly enabled by departmental collusion, have further eroded public trust. While ordinary consumers face prolonged load-shedding and rising bills, illegal connections reportedly continue unchecked. The impact is far-reaching. Businesses are unable to operate, students struggle to study, healthcare services face disruptions, and families endure freezing nights without heating. Many residents say electricity bills remain high despite erratic supply, deepening resentment toward both political and administrative authorities. Critics argue that Pakistan's annual display of solidarity rings hollow when basic facilities in its occupied territories remain unmet. They contend that genuine solidarity would begin with modernising the power grid, ensuring fair distribution, curbing theft, and establishing a reliable winter emergency response system. For residents of PoJK, February 5 is not a day of solidarity but a reminder of neglect. In a region where winter temperatures can be life-threatening, electricity is not a slogan -- it is a lifeline Pakistan has repeatedly failed to provide. (ANI)
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