Bern, Jan. 2 -- Political repression, denial of democratic rights and deepening economic deprivation continue to define life in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), according to the Chairman of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP), Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, who has strongly criticised Pakistan's governance model in the region.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, he stated that despite being projected as a self-governing territory, PoJK remains under the firm control of Pakistan's security establishment, leaving its elected institutions largely powerless. He stated that real authority rests not with local representatives but with unelected actors who dictate political outcomes and restrict civic freedoms.

He state...