Police and protesters clash against power outages in Mirpur. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Frequent and prolonged power outages in the sultry summer sparked rampant protests in several towns and cities of the country on Monday. While elsewhere the protests were mostly peaceful, in Mirpur protesters ran amok berserk, setting fire to public and private properties.
Hundreds of people took to the streets against unscheduled load shedding in Mirpur which is home to the second largest hydel power plant: Mangla Dam. However, they turned violent when police thwarted their march towards the Mangla powerhouse. At least 30 protesters were injured when police fired gunshots in an attempt to disperse them.
In retaliation, protestors threw stones at the police and torched a vehicle belonging to the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). At least a dozen other vehicles, including 20 motorcycles, were also damaged in the clashes that continued for several hours.
The violent protest brought the administration to its knees. Azad Kashmir government officials went into a huddle with WAPDA high-ups and subsequently decided to exempt Mirpur district from load-shedding. No official statement was issued, though.
Taking cue from the Mirpur protest, scores of people also staged a protest in Kotli district. Interestingly, the top local administrator and several police officials also joined the protesters and marched towards grid stations.
Earlier in the day, the Mirpur Citizen Action Committee had warned the AJK government that it would stage a protest if their demand for not exempting Mirpur from power outages was not accepted.
Responding to the committee’s call, a complete wheel jam and shutter down strike was observed in the city.
“Today’s protest aims to raise awareness against prolonged power outages and the acute shortage of drinking water in our city,” Sohail Shujah Mujahid, president of his own faction of Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran (Traders) told The Express Tribune. “This protest is against the selfishness of the so-called public representatives.”
Protesters reminded authorities of the sacrifices the residents of Mirpur have paid for the construction of Mangla Dam.
“Mirpur is the city of over 700,000 UK-based expatriates who were displaced due to the construction of Mangla Dam,” said one protester. “These outages show that we have not been rewarded for our sacrifices.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 28th, 2013.
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@Maria: I am a second generation british/pakistani. My parents moved here to the UK in the early sixties, my father worked very hard to raise a young family. He has never lived on benefits we have our own properties many of which are now being rented to English white folks who are on the social hand outs. your statement is very general you have unfortunate people in all races, I think its narrow minded people like you who are keen to stereotype. The reason for your personal attack is probably becase you are one who lives of benefits and are angry for not achieving in life. In our London area the successful people are from AK, they are socially integrated and well respected members of the community. I recently visited Pakistan on a business trip and i must say its not a place for me. If you care so much about your "pakistan" why dont you move back, live with your people who are of a higher class apparently! People like you make me sick, i bet you live in a council house, take money of the social system which i contribute to so that your family in Pakistan can eat.
Maria - my parents came from Mirpur to the UK. I am so glad they did, since Pakistan is full of people like you, people who like looking down at others.
The UK has provided me with great success, now in the top 5% of earners. This would not have been possible in pakistan, the land of terrorists, mad mullahs, corrupt politicians and a country with no sense of purpose.
In spite of the fact that the demand of electricity in azad kashmir is far far less than what is being produced from mangla dam and other small projects, azad kashmiris are still facing darkness. They should come out on the roads against the colonial attitude of those sitting in islamabad, otherwise situation will become worse.
I am mirpur and let this protest be a lesson to rest of the country that mirp fromur residents are brave and when they decide they will get it from emphasized textgovernment.
"People of Mirpur should be thankful. It was due to Mangla dam that so many of them managed to come to the UK. I have a friend whose father prays and thanks daily for the construction of Mangla dam."
Mr. TightPatloon: by your logic family member of the Hazaras killed in the bomb blast should be thankful to the killers as it led many of them to migrate Australia. . Asylam Seekers Ahmadis should be thankful and grateful to the Group which destroyed their place of worship, killed hundreds, and forced then to seek asylum in western countries.. . TTP is also favoring Ehsan to those who are panicked enough ( but not killed) to leave the country. GREAT LOGIC.
Have you ever seen how Mipuris live in the UK? The vast majority live on social assistance called Benefits or what we would call khayrat in government gifted council flats. A lot of them are unemployed and those who do work are mostly doing menial jobs. The children and families have a number of social problems that stem from their ghettoization and estrarngement from society. I am sure that more Mirpuri parents curse the day they decided to move to the UK and live dysfunctional lives.
People of Mirpur should be thankful. It was due to Mangla dam that so many of them managed to come to the UK. I have a friend whose father prays and thanks daily for the construction of Mangla dam.