"People in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) are chanting slogans against Pakistan Army Rangers and the government, advocating for the independence of Kashmir," tweets Ahmad Farhad, a journalist from Islamabad, on X (formerly Twitter). Pakistan, with eight administrative provinces, is burdened with a debt exceeding US$124.5 billion, or 42 percent of its GDP, while its earnings are less than a quarter of US$30.5 billion. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is attempting to bail out Pakistan, having disbursed a total of SDR 2.250 billion (about $3 billion) so far. 
Ahmad Farhad
However, the situation on the ground in Pakistan is dire. This article provides an in-depth look at the current state of affairs in Pakistan.
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Ahmad Farhad Tweet about Situation in PoK
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About PoK and its Problems
Pakistan is divided into eight administrative units: Balochistan, Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, Islamabad Territory, and a semi-autonomous region known as Azad (Free) Kashmir. Despite its name, the people in PoK do not accept this designation and accuse Pakistan of treating the region like a stepchild. The mountainous area, home to over 4 million people, is governed by a semi-autonomous administration with its own prime minister. However, it suffers from a severe lack of food, fuel, and utilities compared to other regions like Islamabad.
Protests in PoK
Inflation and perceived neglect by the Pakistani government have driven people to the streets in protest. Leaders in PoK have accused the Islamabad government of discriminatory practices in power distribution. According to Dawn, the region's premier, Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, has complained about not receiving a fair share of the 2,600 MW of hydropower generated by the Neelum-Jhelum project. These protests have turned violent, resulting in hundreds of injuries and dozens of deaths.
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Protests in Pak Occupied Kashmir
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The IMF's Concerns About Pakistan
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a global financial institution under the United Nations, providing assistance to countries in economic distress. Pakistan, a member since July 11, 1950, has sought IMF help 24 times through Stand-By Arrangements (SBA). In contrast, Kenya has used SBA assistance 22 times. The SBA offers short-term financial aid to countries facing balance of payments issues and has been frequently used by both advanced and emerging market countries. Over the years, the SBA has been refined to be more flexible and responsive to these countries' needs.
Despite these efforts, the IMF remains pessimistic about Pakistan's financial health, citing a challenging outlook with exceptionally high downside risks. The IMF Executive Board recently completed the second review under the SBA for Pakistan, approving an immediate disbursement of SDR 828 million (approximately $1.1 billion). This brings the total disbursements under the arrangement to SDR 2.250 billion (around $3 billion).
The Root of the Problem
Despite taking numerous loans, Pakistan has been unable to provide basic necessities like food to its citizens. It appears that the money lent by the IMF is being diverted to meet the goals of Pakistani politicians and the military, rather than addressing the public's hunger and needs.