GILGIT: The ongoing protest in Chilas intensified on Wednesday as some enraged protesters barged into the offices of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) and private companies working on Diamer-Bhasha Dam and threatened the officials to suspend their activities and vacate the buildings before locking them.

They warned the authorities that construction work would remain suspended until their charter of demands was fully implemented, as their sit-in entered its 18th day.

The Gilgit-Baltistan government asked the Centre to settle the issue on a priority basis before the situation worsens.

Addressing a press conference in Chilas, Hazratullah, who heads the “Give Rights and Build Dam” movement, said people continued their protest sit-in for nearly three weeks to press the authorities for implementation of their charter of demands.

He said the federal committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to address grievances of the people affected by the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project under the chairmanship of Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam held meetings in Islamabad on Feb 26.

The government had decided to settle the issue through negotiations with a representative committee of the protest movement, he said. On the federal government’s assurance that a team would visit Chilas, he added, a committee was formed by the protesters. However, the federal government later claimed their committee members would visit Chilas when the weather improves.

“Till this day, the committee members have neither visited Chilas nor started negotiations, nevertheless improving weather and fulfilment of the condition to form protesters’ committee. Even plan-B of the protest had been postponed on the government assurance till the start of negotiations with federal committee,” he said.

Hazratullah said the federal committee members and Wapda officials were sitting in Islamabad while protesters were on the road for the past many days.

He said Wapda offices and other construction companies of Diamer-Bhasha Dam had been stopped from continuing their work till the arrival of the federal government committee and resumption of talks, as the officials were not taking the issue seriously.

Reiterating the demand that the federal government committee immediately visit Chilas and start negotiations with the representatives of protesters, he warned consequences of further delay would be “dangerous”.

Meanwhile, GB Home Minister Shams Loan has demanded that the federal government take the ongoing sit-in seriously and that the federal committee visit Chilas as soon as possible to resolve the issues related to the dam.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2025