GILGIT: Protests erupted in several parts of Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday as residents decried over up to 22 hours of daily power outages amid harsh winter conditions and snowfall.

Demonstrators obser­ved a shutter-down strike in Hunza and blocked sections of the Karakoram Highway for hours, burning tyres to register their frustration. Fresh snowfall across most areas of the region has compounded people’s woes.

Protesters blamed poor planning and widespread corruption in the power sector for their hardships. In the Sost town of Hunza, residents staged demonstrations, disrupting trade activities between Pakistan and China. The protest was jointly organised by the All Parties Traders Association and the Awami Action Committee.

Participants criticised the government for failing to address the ongoing power crisis, which has left the region grappling with 22-hour daily outages as temperatures plunge to minus 20 degrees Celsius. Protesters highlighted that the lack of electricity has exacerbated existing issues, including a shortage of water and inadequate healthcare.

Shutter-down strike observed in Hunza; KKH blocked at various points

Residents argued that Sost, a crucial trade hub on the Pakistan-China border, is ill-equipped to support both trade and tourism due to the absence of basic facilities. Traders reliant on the Khunjerab Pass also joined the protests, suspending cross-border trade in solidarity.

In the Gulmit town of Gojal tehsil, residents blocked the Karakoram Highway and burned tyres, chanting slogans against the government. A similar demonstration took place in Aliabad, where participants criticised the administration for failing to alleviate the crisis. Protesters lamented that the lack of power has disrupted trade, education and tourism, severely affecting the daily lives of residents.

At Danyor Chowk in Gilgit, youth-led protests brought traffic on the Karakoram Highway to a standstill. Holding placards with anti-government slogans, participants called attention to the billions of rupees spent on power projects that have yet to yield results.

Protesters alleged that while ordinary citizens endure long outages, uninterrupted power is supplied to influential individuals and government officials. Students have been unable to study, online businesses have collapsed and the region’s economy has suffered significant losses, they lamented.

“In winter, life in Gilgit-Baltistan resembles the Dark Ages. We live without electricity, the internet and other basic facilities,” Ali Younus, a protester, told Dawn.

Many residents migrate to other parts of the country during winter to escape these conditions. Tourism has also taken a hit, with most hotels closed for the season and inadequate arrangements for visitors. A fresh wave of snowfall has worsened the situation, making roads slippery and forcing many to remain indoors.

Officials said that snowfall was reported in Ghizer, Nagar, Hunza, Astore, Skardu, Ghan­che, Shigar and Kharmang. Freezing temperatures have pushed up demand for LPG and firewood, which are now being sold at exorbitant prices. Seasonal illnesses, particularly among children, have also increased.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2025