Opinion | Explaining Women Led Health Workers Protests in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir

When essential workers protest, it reflects deep systemic failure and urgent need for justice and reform. Pakistan must not ignore the basic demands of the people in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir it shamelessly calls Azaad (Free) Kashmir and address their grievances.

In many societies, women do not usually take to the roads to raise slogans or protest against anyone, but when they do, it speaks the gravity of the matter. Being a Kashmiri, I often track the ongoing developments in the other part of my land that is Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, including their daily lives, elections, governance, tourism, and other aspects. I find some different things, some bad, and some even worse. In recent times, the continuous protests by women caught my attention. They were health workers, in thousands, taking to the roads and protesting against the government. A critical and emergency service department protesting speaks volumes about the dilapidated and worrisome situation of the occupied region, and unfortunately, this is not the only issue. We often hear about protests in Pojk and PoGB over constitutional and administrative reforms, harassment, inflation, human rights abuses, poverty and so on. In every country, the health department remains a top priority for the government considering its pivotal role in safeguarding the health of the general public, but if the staff of the department takes to the roads, it reveals not just problems but intentional negligence. The protests awakened my inquisitive spirit, and I found that the protesters’ demands are very genuine and legitimate, like job security, salary release, pay hikes, and allowances. For months, health workers, mainly women, have raised their demands in a very peaceful way, but it seems their legitimate demands have fallen on deaf ears. Now, if such a pivotal sector stops functioning, it has huge implications, but nothing starts without a cause.

Any workforce runs on money, but if that supply is stopped, the workforce will cease to function, and the people and sectors they are supposed to serve get badly affected. The same goes for health workers. The protesters demand their salaries, which have remained pending for months. If their salary is stopped, how can we expect them to work for free or work at all? Reports suggest that staff is overburdened with work. Staff complain of excessive and unfair duty hours with no proper rest. In such conditions, women face double work pressure, balancing hospital duties and household responsibilities, which drains them mentally and physically. This work-life balance disparity reduces their efficiency in both areas and takes a mental toll as well.

Another major issue is delayed salaries. Protesters accuse the government of irregular and delayed payments. Health workers, especially women, are struggling to manage their daily lives due to financial uncertainty. This has forced them to take to the streets to demand their basic rights. Salary hikes are also a major cause behind the protests, as workers demand fair pay that matches their workload and rising living costs. The lack of timely revisions has added to their frustration. Staff shortage is another major issue behind the protests. Fewer workers mean longer hours and increased workload for existing staff. This has put immense pressure on health workers, especially women. Allowances such as housing and healthcare are also key concerns. Many workers are deprived of basic benefits that support their well-being, which has further deepened their dissatisfaction and hardship. Protesters say authorities have repeatedly ignored their demands despite assurances, leading to prolonged strikes and demonstrations. On top of that, these protests are also linked to wider dissatisfaction in PoJK over economic neglect and administrative failures, as seen in earlier mass protests.

Protesters being from such a vital sector means that such protests have a direct and negative impact on medical services and people’s health. When they protest, patients are deprived of care and treatment. They do not receive an injection on time, are not infused with glucose on time, and are not administered lifesaving drugs when needed. As a result, they may lose their battle for life and move closer to death. If a driver is protesting, the ambulance does not reach an emergency spot. If a nurse protests, patients, including women, children, and the elderly, are left unattended. If a health worker protests, the injured do not get access to medical care. Imagine a poor patient suffering a cardiac arrest, a young man brutally injured in a road accident, or a lineman getting electrocuted. They reach the hospital only to find it deserted, with staff protesting for their rights, and amidst this, a life may be lost. Who is responsible for that, the government or the hospital staff? I personally saw visuals on X where the Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences was badly disrupted due to staff shortages and strikes, leaving patients unattended and causing panic. Not only this, such protests also have a huge impact on households. Staff whose livelihoods are affected cannot make ends meet, buy groceries, pay rent, school fees, or bills, causing suffering to families and school-going children.

One thing I personally fear is the loss of human lives in these protests. As we know, Pakistan fears protests, even if they are legitimate and peaceful, as seen recently in March when around 30 innocent lives were lost across Pakistan. God forbid, if these protests continue to grow stronger, Pakistan may resort to a brutal crackdown, including tear gas shells or even firing on PoJK civilians, leading to casualties, which I pray does not happen at any cost.

Not only this, the illegally occupied region has a long list of demands that include constitutional and administrative reforms. Local bodies like the Awami Action Committee often take to the roads for basic rights and are set to do so again in June, ahead of the so-called elections scheduled for mid-2026 in July. PoJK and Gilgit Baltistan are deprived of basic rights such as electricity, roads, and education. Day after day, news reports cite harassment and human rights violations in the occupied region at the hands of Pakistan in response to protests. In addition to this, Pakistan is facing a huge internal crisis, while Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remain separate and serious concerns.

The world must take a note of this before a greater adversary unfolds and Pakistan must fulfil basic demands of PoJK residents and put an end to their suffering. Calling an occupied land “Azad” or “Free Kashmir” on paper does not make it free in reality; policies and ground realities tell a different story. The situation in PoJK exposes this illusion to the world.

ALIZAROON@112GMAIL.COM