World News | Pakistan Accused of Denying Real Powers to Elected Representatives in PoGB
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Political activist Amjad Ayub Mirza criticised Pakistan's planned local government elections in PoGB, questioning whether they will provide real authority and funding. Comparing them to past polls in PoJK, he noted a lack of genuine democratic empowerment and highlighted regional political challenges.
Scotland [UK], October 23 (ANI): Political activist from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), Amjad Ayub Mirza, has criticised Pakistan’s proposed local government elections in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), alleging that the exercise could become another political arrangement without meaningful democratic empowerment.
In a video released on YouTube, Mirza questioned whether the elections, scheduled for December 5, 2026, would transfer authority to elected representatives or merely create the appearance of democracy under Pakistan’s existing political and administrative system.
Mirza also highlighted the lack of clarity surrounding the proposed powers of local councillors, councils and mayors. He questioned whether elected representatives would receive sufficient authority and development funds to address local issues, warning that elections alone would not guarantee democratic governance.
The activist compared the proposed polls with local government elections held in PoJK after a gap of 33 years. He claimed that councillors there continued to operate without adequate powers or development funding, while significant authority remained concentrated elsewhere.
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He also referred to the Joint Awami Action Committee’s (JAAC) demands in PoJK, including the abolition of 12 Assembly seats that he alleged were used to influence government formation and political outcomes. Mirza linked the committee’s movement to wider demands for political rights, accountability and the rule of law.
Discussing PoGB’s political landscape, he referred to activists Ahsan Ali Advocate and Baba Jan, highlighting the history of political mobilisation and imprisonment associated with demands for rights in the region. He argued that competing political and ideological narratives had hindered the emergence of a unified movement focused on PoGB’s political future. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)