HUNZA, June 17: Hundreds of people staged a demonstration and blocked the Karakoram Highway for several hours on Saturday in protest against prolonged power shutdown, transfer of a medical officer and occupation of the Sust Dry Port Trust management by the deputy chief executive of the Northern Areas and his family members and lack of health and education facilities.

Police arrested seven people in Aliabad, tehsil headquarters of Hunza, but later released them on public pressure.

The protesters demanded the release of the detained leaders, including Aliabad Bazaar Association president Fida Karim, a leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (Hunza chapter), Boloristan Research Forum leaders Sultan Madad and Irkamullah Baig, Aliabad Union Council chairman Dinar Khan, Progressive Youth Front chairman Baba Jan and union councillor Liaquat Ali.

They chanted slogans against the deputy chief executive and blamed him for the arrest of political and trader leaders. Heavy contingent of police was deployed in the area.

Addressing the rally, speakers criticised deputy chief executive Ghazanfar Ali Khan for allegedly occupying the management of the dry port which was set up for the promotion of trade between Pakistan and China and development of the area.

They accused the local education authorities of depriving the people of their basic rights and said the only Government High School in Aliabad lacked trained teachers.

The speakers condemned the public representatives of the area and said that they had failed to provide basic facilities like water, electricity, health and education to the people.

They demanded the appointment of a medical officer at the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital which had been lying vacant for the last eight months after the transfer of medical officer to Gilgit.

The protestors gave a 15-day deadline to the Northern Areas administration for the fulfilment of their demands.