PoJK: Health workers protest in Muzaffarabad over ending allowance demands

Mar 03, 2026

Health department employees in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir staged a strike at the Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) in Muzaffarabad to press the government for acceptance of their long-pending demands. Due to the protest, outpatient department (OPD) services were temporarily closed, causing inconvenience to patients and hospital visitors. Protesters gathered inside and outside the hospital premises, raising slogans and demanding immediate action on their Charter of Demands, which they say has remained unresolved despite repeated assurances from authorities. The protesters maintained that their demands are clear and need immediate implementation rather than prolonged deliberation. They voiced frustration that despite the passage of nearly a month, the government has taken no concrete steps. The protest has once again exposed what employees describe as deep governance failures and a persistent pattern of delayed decision-making in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Despite formal meetings, verbal commitments, and negotiated agreements, implementation on the ground remains stalled, reflecting weak administrative follow-through and institutional inefficiency.