Establishment of the "Pig Culling Committee" by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly: An Analysis Written by: Shah Nawaz Ali Sher, Advocate,

Establishment of the "Pig Culling Committee" by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly: An Analysis Written by: Shah Nawaz Ali Sher, Advocate, High Court Member, Joint Public Action Committee, Nikial Kotli snsher02@gmail.com On January 10, 2025, the Legislative Assembly of Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir issued a notification to form a Ministerial Committee to address the growing issue of wild pigs and their potential risks, particularly in the city of Muzaffarabad. The committee's primary purpose is to evaluate the increasing number of wild pigs, their impact on human lives, and the damage to crops and fields. The committee is tasked with liaising with the relevant authorities in Islamabad's Capital Development Authority (CDA) and submitting its report within a month. The committee includes prominent members such as Sardar Mohammad Javed, Raja Farooq Haider, Khawaja Farooq Ahmad, Sardar Amir Akbar Khan, Sardar Majid Khan, Raja Faisal Rathore, and Akmal Sargala. Following this notification, social media has seen a wide debate and criticism over the formation of this committee. Public questions are being raised as to whether this committee is a genuine initiative or merely an ineffective attempt to appease the public. People are also asking whether the Legislative Assembly has truly understood the public's concerns or if this committee is just a facade. Moreover, the real concern is whether such committees actually offer solutions to the underlying issues they are supposed to address. Indeed, the growing number of wild pigs has become a genuine challenge. In areas like Muzaffarabad and Nikial, the pig population is rapidly increasing, leading to significant damage to crops. Locals and farmers report that herds of pigs destroy their crops at night. While hunting them has become an option, killing and burying them remains a difficult task. Therefore, the government's decision to form this committee can be seen as a positive step, as it shows that the issue has been acknowledged and is being addressed promptly. However, one may wonder if the government is simply using this committee to avoid fulfilling its broader responsibilities. Are there no other pressing issues to address beyond wild pigs? The backwardness of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is a reality that cannot be ignored. Out of the 4.5 million people in the region, approximately two million are employed abroad. The region also has a costly Legislative Assembly consisting of 53 members, whose primary role should be to address public concerns. However, the Assembly has done little to address basic rights, education, healthcare, infrastructure, or other necessities of life. The public continues to struggle with a lack of basic services. There are no quality educational institutions or health centers. Corruption and government mismanagement are rampant, with substandard and expired food products easily available in markets, along with a flourishing trade in counterfeit medicines. Given these circumstances, the formation of the Pig Culling Committee raises questions, as there has never been a committee formed to address broader public issues. No serious efforts have been made to address the region's poverty or corruption. Corruption levels in Azad Jammu and Kashmir are alarmingly high. The public faces extreme difficulties due to the corruption of government employees and public institutions. Apart from the lack of basic services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure, bribery, favoritism, and discrimination are widespread. Many government employees believe corruption is their right, and for the public, accessing justice has become a distant dream. In such a scenario, the question arises: Is the formation of the Pig Culling Committee a genuine step toward the public’s welfare, or is it merely an attempt to create a positive image? Will the committee take concrete actions, or is it just another political tool to score points? It seems that political interests might be driving the formation of this committee. Creating committees, distributing funds, and securing political gains have become routine practices for the government. The ruling class of Azad Jammu and Kashmir seems to have made it a habit to form committees and use them for political leverage. There is concern that funds will be allocated, and perhaps even a "Pig Culling Department" will be set up. The critical question remains whether this committee is truly for the public's benefit or just another political maneuver. Another issue with the committee's formation is the apparent exclusion of the Kotli district. Despite the fact that areas like Muzaffarabad and Nikial are facing severe problems with pigs, the district of Kotli, also affected by this issue, was not represented in the committee. People from Kotli have expressed their concerns on social media and hinted at protests, highlighting that limiting the committee to certain regions does not represent the entire state. The "Pig Culling Fund" should not only benefit Muzaffarabad. Furthermore, it is important to note that the establishment of the Pig Culling Committee could serve as a cover for the government to allocate funds under the guise of addressing the pig problem. This is a dangerous scenario, as we have seen in the past with the "Rat Culling Committee," where the government allowed people to sell rats to the authorities, eventually leading to people breeding rats to make money. A similar situation could arise in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where a new business might develop under the name of "pig control." In conclusion, the formation of the Pig Culling Committee in Azad Jammu and Kashmir raises many questions. When other public issues are in such dire states, creating a committee solely for pig control does not appear to be a serious government effort. If the government genuinely cares about public welfare, it should form committees not just for pig control but also for addressing corruption, unemployment, education, and healthcare reforms. Until the government takes meaningful actions in the public's interest, initiatives like the Pig Culling Committee will remain nothing more than political point-scoring. This will continue to diminish the credibility of the Legislative Assembly. (End)