GILGIT: As the ongoing sit-in in Hunza blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) for the fourth consecutive day, protest organisers announced plans to intensify the protest over the Gilgit-Baltistan government’s failure to supply electricity for even two hours a day.

The decision to intensify the protest, which was launched on the call of Hunza Awami Action Committee and the All-Parties Traders’ Asso­ciation, came despite the GB government’s claim that 90 per cent of their demands have already been met.

The sit-in in the Aliabad area — the district headquarters of Hunza — has caused difficulties for locals and travellers, with heavy traffic remaining suspended and an alternative route open only for light traffic. Vehicles loaded with goods imported from China via Khunjerab Pass also remained stranded at the protest venue.

Despite freezing temperatures, protesters spent the night at their camps. They chanted slogans against the GB government and demanded electricity to Hunza.

Organisers call for wheel-jam, shutter-down strike today; CM’s aide claims ‘90pc of demands already met’

People from various political gro­u­­ps and civil society organisations have been participating in the protest.

Protesters said the daily lives of locals have been paralysed, and students cannot study, putting their futures at stake. They said trade activities, online businesses, and other pursuits have come to a halt, affecting their livelihoods.

After mutual consultation on Monday evening, the protest organising committee, which includes Ubaidullah Baig, a GB Assembly member from Hunza, Awami Workers Party leader Baba Jan, PPP office-bearer Zahoor Karim and PML-N leader Rehan Shah, announced that the protest would continue.

Addressing the protesters, they announced their joint decision to intensify the protest from Tuesday, as the GB government had failed to fulfil their genuine demands. They said no vehicle, except in emergency cases, would be allowed to pass through any route in the area.

Women and children would also join the protest, as there would be complete wheel-jam and shutter-down strike to press the authorities to meet their demands.

Zahoor Elahi, one of the organisers, said the GB government’s offer had already been rejected by protesters. He said fuel should immediately be supplied to thermal generators for their operation to increase power supply. He said work on the power projects in Hunza must also be expedited. The organisers said people in other areas of GB were also braving 22-hour-long loadshedding.

Political point-scoring

On the other hand, Adviser to GB Chief Minister on Information Eman Shah told a press conference that 90pc demands of the protesters had already been met by the government. He accused the PML-N, PPP and other political parties of exploiting locals for their political interest.

The adviser questioned GB assembly lawmaker Ubaidullah Baig’s performance when he was senior minister to solve power crisis. He said the elected member from Hunza had failed to initiate a single power project.

Instead of thermal generators, he added, the GB government was working on a long-term solution. He claimed that work on several under-construction power projects would be completed next year.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2025