GILGIT: Residents of Gilgit city on Monday took to the streets against acute power shortage caused by a two-day long electricity suspension.

The protesters alleged massive financial corruption in contracts of power projects due to which they were facing unending power crisis. A large number of residents of Kashrot, the native town of GB Chief Minister Hafeezur, blocked the airport road by burning tyres against the power outage.

Mohammad Farooq, a social activist, said Gilgit city had been without electricity supply for last two days, which had caused severe water shortage.

The protesters chanted slogans against the government and power department officials. They said the government had failed to resolve continued electricity shortage, and warned that if the situation continued they would start a mass protest movement. They demanded restoration of electricity in next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, a large number of activists from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, members of hotel industry and Anjuman-i-Tajiraan gathered at Yadgar Chowk to protest prolonged power outage. The protest was organised by Insaf Students Organisation. The protesters said GB people, particularly residents of Gilgit town, were enduring 22 hours of power outages, which had paralysed life.

They said billions f rupees were invested in power projects but power generation was next to nil.

They said Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman had promised to end power loadshedding in GB after coming into power, but electricity shortage persisted.

Addressing the protesters, PTI GB chapter vice president Prof Ajmal, general secretary GB hotel owners association. Raja Nasir and others said currently GB people were passing through worst power crisis.

They lamented that the power crisis had affected all sectors, including the hotel industry, tourism and traders.

They demanded of the federal government to take notice of the prevailing situation. They also demanded of NAB to investigate corruption in power projects.

GB power department officials said water channel of 16MW Naltar powerhouse has been damaged by landslides, thus suspending power supply from it. However, they said supply from other powerhouses was continuing. They said repair of the water channel was in progress.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2019