Muzaffarabad, Jan. 8 -- Newspaper circulation across Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has plummeted sharply in recent years, with industry workers saying the rise of social media and the absence of government assistance have pushed the once-thriving sector to the brink of collapse.

Vendors and publishers state that the industry, which supported thousands of families for decades, is now surviving on a fraction of its former readership.

According to workers who have spent nearly their entire careers in the profession, the decline began after the Covid-19 pandemic, when newspaper prices surged due to high newsprint costs and disrupted supply chains.

Instead of offering relief, the government issued promises of aid that never mat...