SHANGLA: Residents of Lower Kohistan, Dubair and Ranolia on Friday staged a protest rally on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in Bisham city to press the Wapda authorities for acceptance of their longstanding promised demands including construction of roads and provision of water facilities.

The protest call was given by Shangla-Kohistan Qaumi Ittehad where Bisham tehsil’s local leaders Ikram Shah, Abbas Khan and others also addressed and expressed their unity with them.

Hidayatullah, Saifuddin and others in their addresses said that they had been protesting against the Wapda and demanding construction of road, which was promised to them several times but to no avail as a result entire Ranolia Dubair tehsil had been facing severe challenges.

Saifuddin said that whenever the water level had risen in the Dubair River, it damaged locally built road and wooden bridges.He said Wapda also ignored their requests not to open the Dubair hydropower project dam gates without informing the local community, causing loss of several precious lives.

The protesters alleged that Wapda’s policies were anti-human which has least concern for the lives of the poor masses of Kohistan rather it only need their resources.

“By attributing the slogan ‘Road do Pani lo’ to their movement, they stated that if it was not implemented, they would continue the protest and shut down the dam project.”The protesters, carrying banners and placards, said the demonstration was held in support of the ongoing sit-in by the people of Dubair in Lower Kohistan, which has entered 24th day despite severe cold weather. They said the sit-in would continue until agreements made by Wapda with the local population were fully implemented.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2025