GILGIT: Majority of people in Gilgit-Baltistan, including the Gilgit city and Skardu, continue facing prolonged power outages.

Over 20 hours’ outages daily have paralysed the routine life of residents and business activities.

Local residents said in the absence of electricity their activities in every sphere of life had been disturbed. Traders, students and civil society members have been protesting against the power crisis since November last year.

Mohammad Ali, a resident of Gilgit, told Dawn that the power department had failed to provide electricity even for six hours daily.

Officials had announced that power shortages emerged across GB in winter season owing to the decrease in water flow in the channels of powerhouses.

“Government had assured us that electricity supply will increase when weather improved leading to a rise in water flow in streams and rivers,” he said. However, so far Gilgit residents are faced with over 20 hours of outages daily.

Imtiaz Hussain, another resident, said in the absence of electricity mobile internet also became dysfunctional.

“Business activities remained shut, education of students suffered and work of government and non-government officials suspended,’ he added.

Students cannot prepare for their examination and take online classes while a large number of people affiliated with online business have become jobless.

The tourism activities also remained suspended as hotels, restaurants and camping sites are compelled to close owing to unavailability of electricity.

Shakoor Abdullah, a resident of Skardu, told Dawn that traders in the area had recently warned the government that they would take to the street if the power supply was not improved.

“Trade activities are closed in the town and people have become jobless. The communication system and internet are also shut,’ he said.

The residents said the GB government spends billions of rupees funds annually in the name of power generation, but people are without electricity.

They said despite protests, the government paid no heed to resolve the issue.

Majority of the residents in Hunza, Shigar, Ghanche, Kharmang, Astore, Nagar and Diamer also have no availability of electricity.

The opposition members in GB Assembly also raised the issue but the government failed to settle the prolonged power outages.

Local people demanded that the prime minister of Pakistan should take notice of the issue.

They also demanded an investigation into alleged financial corruption in the name of power generation.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2024