Kohistan massacre: In Gigit-Baltistan, chaos continues as critical issues put on the shelf

Wheat crisis, power outages draw residents’ ire.

GILGIT:

Heightened sectarian tension in the aftermath of the Kohistan bus massacre has appropriated the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) government’s attention, which has sidelined several issues of public importance.

While political leaders and officials are focused on controlling the fallout, people are uncertain if their day-to-day problems are being given any priority.

Wheat crisis

Just days before the tragedy, a mass movement against the rise in wheat prices had started in the region. Some 10,000 protesters had taken to the streets in Ghizer valley.

The movement was poised to gain momentum when the massacre took place, diverting the authorities’ focus away from the crisis.

“If the Kohistan massacre hadn’t taken place, the issue would have been resolved by now,” said Muhammad Maqsood, a resident of Ghizer valley.

Wheat prices in G-B had jumped by Rs3 per kilogramme (kg) recently, bringing the cost of a 40kg bag to Rs640 from Rs520.

Power crisis

Gilgit witnessed the worst form of power crisis earlier this year, when cracks appeared in the walls of the region’s biggest water reservoir in Naltar.

Experts from Lahore were called in twice to resolve the issue. However, power outages increased despite a huge sum of money spent on repairs.

The firm given the contract for repairs had previously embezzled sums and a legislator had demanded it be blacklisted instead of being given new contracts.

Legislators had raised the issue in the G-B Legislative Assembly, asking for a thorough inquiry into the matter.

However, with sectarianism flaring up in the region, an inquiry could not be initiated.

Meanwhile, the capital city of G-B continues to witness prolonged power cuts.

Gilgit is experiencing up to 20 hours of power outages, but unfortunately the government has shifted its focus to other issues,” said Rizwan Ali, a resident of Gilgit.

G-B’s unclear status

In addition to the wheat crisis and power cuts, the ambiguous status of G-B had also sparked a debate last month after a petition was filed by a local resident in the Supreme Court.

The majority of people have called for a legal cover for the G-B Self-Governance and Empowerment Ordinance 2009, or a form of governance  similar to the one in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

After the sectarian killings, the issue remains unaddressed.

Chief judge’s appointment

The appointment of a former judge of Lahore High Court as the chief judge of the Supreme Appellate Court had also sparked widespread protest across the region.

Lawyers had termed the appointment as illegal and in violation of the self-governance order, demanding the prime minister to cancel the appointment. However, the issue has now died down.

Diamer-Bhasha Dam scam

The mega scandal of kickbacks and bribes allegedly received by high-profile officials in Chilas by increasing the prices of land has also been buried under the debris of the Kohistan massacre.

In addition to that, it has soured relations between Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and G-B, with politicians from both regions blaming each other for the killings. This is also causing delay in the construction of the multi-billion dollar project.

G-B Finance Minister Muhammad Ali Akhtar, when approached for comments, acknowledged that the Kohistan carnage had diverted the government’s attention from key issues of governance.

However, he was hopeful that normalcy would soon return to G-B. “There are certain things which are currently beyond our control, so we have to wait for the worst patch to pass,” he remarked.

“Public representatives will continue to struggle for the rights and welfare of local people,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2012.