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ISLAMABAD, Oct 29: The blockade of Karakuram Highway through four districts of the NWFP and Northern Areas, and occupation of the airstrip in Chilas by armed tribesmen and activists of religious parties continued on the fifth day on Monday.
Sources told Dawn that the situation in the Northern Areas was worsening where a shortage of essential goods — wheat flour, fuel and many kitchen items — had started affecting the life as traders and shopkeepers had started stocking these items.
The blockade of Karakuram Highway (KKH) by the activists of various religious parties began on Thursday in protest against the US-led coalition air strikes on Afghanistan and Pakistan’s support to them.
KKH is the lifeline of Northern Areas and it links Pakistan to China. It has been blocked in the districts of Batagram, Basham, Shangla (all in the NWFP) and Diamer in the Northern Areas. The source said that an official of the army monitoring team was injured in firing between the protesters and the law enforcement agencies personnel on Oct 25.
Lt-Col Nawaz had an exchange of hot words with the protesters which resulted in shooting. He was injured by a bullet ricocheting off a stone. He is under treatment in a Gilgit hospital.
Quoting Chilas SP Shoukat Rasheed, the source said that about 2,000 protesters had occupied the airstrip at three places, and efforts to end the occupation and the KKH blockade had failed.
The airstrip was not in use for the past 25 years and there was a three-man Civil Aviation Authority staff who was guarding it. Recently, the government conducted a survey to revive it for Fokkers and C-130 planes. However, after the proposal for the construction of Bhasha dam the plan was shelved as a major part of the airstrip would be used in the dam’s construction.
A source, quoting Kohistan District Nazim Maulana Obaidullah, said a meeting of the Ulema scheduled for Monday to take a decision about ending the blockade was not held as some influential leaders could not arrive at Batagram due to the blockade. The meeting is likely to be held on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Northern Areas Legislative Council unanimously condemned the KKH blockade. At a special session, the NALC members demanded of the government to get the KKH cleared and ensure safe journey on it.
A delegation, headed by NALC Speaker Sahib Khan, met the Force Commander of Northern Areas, Maj-Gen Nadeem, and apprised him of the situation arising out of the blockade, particularly the emerging shortage of essential goods.
CHINESE RELIEF CONVOY: About 39 Chinese containers loaded with relief goods for Afghan people are stranded at Gilgit for the last three days.
A source, quoting Chinese team leader Young Zamin, said they were waiting for the reopening of the KKH to deliver the goods to the Taliban authorities.
Our Gilgit Correspondent adds: The occupation of the airstrip, important installations and petrol pumps by the religious activists has left the local administration in quandary. The protesters have put barricades on the airstrip to prevent its use by the US forces.
The airstrip is an emergency landing facility for civil and military aircraft. The protesters have also got control of oil supply. An official said that 29 prisoners of the 61 who had escaped from the Chilas district prison, had been re-arrested.
To keep the blockade intact, some armed zealots had even put landmines at various points along the Karakuram Highway. Thousands of armed tribesmen have positioned themselves on mountain slopes on both sides of the Karakuram Highway to thwart efforts to end the blockade.
Meanwhile, the army authorities and civil administration of Northern Areas have held meetings with elders and influentials of the area to get the blockade of the KKH ended. Prices of food items in Gilgit have gone up during the last couple of days.
