MUZAFFARABAD: An alliance of traders on Tuesday announced plans to protest in the capital on June 17 against unfulfilled commitments by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) to address the environmental impact of the Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project (NJHP).

Abdul Razzaq Khan, Farooq Ahmed Qadir, Basharat Mughal, Tanvir Qureshi and other office bearers of the Traders Joint Action Committee (TJAC) told a press conference that they had warned of their protest demonstration more than a month ago, but Wapda had not shown any seriousness towards implementing its own commitments with regard to the mitigation of environmental hazards caused by the 969-megawatt power project involving the diversion of River Neelum through a tunnel system.

Mr Khan pointed out that a campaign about the resolution of these and other issues caused by the NJHP was underway in the AJK capital for the past several months and it was therefore incumbent upon Wapda to take the remedial measures “on a war footing”.

A civil society alliance called the Save Rivers Committee has set up a sit-in camp on a busy roundabout near the press club since March 26 to protest the “negative impact of diversion of rivers”.

Mr Khan took strong exception to Wapda for the “painful and deplorable” non-fulfilment of its commitments which he said had multiplied indignation and frustration in the public.

He pointed out that Prime Minister Imran Khan had himself taken stock of public outcry in Muzaffarabad, following which a high powered commission had visited Muzaffarabad to assess the situation.

According to him, the commission had made similar recommendations as had already been floated by the AJK government and the civil society of Muzaffarabad.

“Still no tangible steps appear to have been initiated by Wapda for implementation of those recommendations,” he said.

He claimed that a recent meeting between AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider and the Wapda chairman on the same issues had turned out to be “unpleasant” due to the latter’s “stubbornness.”

“Let it be clear to all and sundry that political differences apart, we are one on this issue and stand behind our government,” he said, adding: “If need be, traders will once again give a call for a shutter down as well as a wheel jam strike.”

In response to a question, he told that next Monday TJAC members would assemble outside the National Press Club in Islamabad for the peaceful demonstration.

“Our primary purpose is to disseminate a message from the federal capital that a federal institution is betraying the Kashmiri people notwithstanding the fact they have sacrificed their land, environment and emotional affiliations to help Pakistan overcome its energy crises and this approach and treatment is detrimental to the national interest,” he said.

He said that the TJAC would take all stakeholders on board before announcing the next stage of its activities, in this regard.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2019