January 8, 2024
By Sher Nadir
HUNZA:
The protest, organized by the Gilgit-Baltistan Action Committee and All Parties Alliance, has drawn participants from across the political spectrum, including representatives from the Awami Workers Party Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan Peoples Party, PML-N, and various trade unions. Protesters have maintained their presence despite severe winter conditions, with both men and women participating in significant numbers.
The crisis stems from Gilgit-Baltistan’s isolation from the national power grid. The region’s existing hydropower plants are unable to meet local demand, while thermal power plants have proven prohibitively expensive to operate.
During the harsh winter months, residents are forced to rely on firewood for heating, as both gas and fuel-operated generators remain beyond the financial reach of average citizens.
“We women are sitting on the streets for our children’s future,” said Aqeela Malik, a prominent women’s rights activist who has been advocating for women’s rights and education in the region for two decades.
“The lack of electricity has severely impacted our daily lives and our children’s education. The government must find an immediate solution to this crisis.”
The protesters’ demands include expediting ongoing power projects and activating thermal generator plants.
However, government officials have expressed reservations about the latter demand, citing operational costs. A senior government official has indicated that while authorities are willing to address most demands, running thermal generators remains unfeasible due to excessive costs.
Baba Jan, Gilgit-Baltistan president of the Awami Workers Party and a veteran of public rights movements in the region for the past fifteen years, emphasised the severity of the situation.
“The Gilgit-Baltistan government has completely failed to provide basic facilities to its people. We only get one or two hours of electricity in 24 hours,” he stated. “If our demands are not addressed immediately, we will escalate our protest and close the Karakoram Highway for all traffic except emergency services.”
The blockade of the Karakoram Highway, a crucial 1,300-kilometer artery that forms part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has raised concerns among the business community.
The situation in Gilgit-Baltistan reflects broader challenges in Pakistan’s energy sector, where routine load-shedding is common nationwide. However, the mountainous, snow-covered regions of Gilgit-Baltistan face particularly severe conditions due to their geographical isolation and limited infrastructure.
The ongoing protests highlight the urgent need for sustainable solutions to the region’s chronic power shortages, which continue to affect all aspects of daily life, from education and healthcare to commerce and tourism.
As negotiations between protesters and government officials continue, the demonstration shows no signs of dispersing until concrete steps are taken to address the power crisis that has gripped this strategically important region of Pakistan.