Protesting power woes: In AJK, traders observe shutter-down strike

Say Wapda is illuminating Islamabad while plunging the region into darkness.

MUZAFFARABAD:

Traders in Azad Kashmir’s capital city on Friday observed a complete shutter-down strike and staged a protest rally against frequent power outages and unannounced loadshedding.

The protesting traders, who marched from Madina Market to Geelani Chowk, shouted slogans against the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), as well as the federal and the Azad Jammu and Kashmir governments.

The AJK chapter of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the All-Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, the Pakistan People’s Party (Barrister Sultan Group), the Central Bar Association, the All-Motors Association and the All-Parties Conference also supported the protesting traders.

Traders’ Joint Action Committee Chairman Abdur Razaq Khan said that Wapda was illuminating Islamabad with their electricity, while plunging the region into darkness.

He said that the people of AJK even sacrificed the graves of their ancestors to allow upraising of the Mangla Dam but, in return, the Wapda has pushed them indo darkness by resorting to frequent cuts. He said that this move by the Wapda has created a rift between the people of the AJK and Pakistan.

Khan demanded of the federal government and the Wapda to provide free electricity to the people of the region from the Mangla Dam.

He said that after the Mangla Dam, the people of the state have provided their land for the construction of the Neelum-Jehlum Hydel Power Project and they were ready to hand over more land for the establishment of the proposed Kohala hydel power project in the region.

“Despite these concessions and overtures, the Wapda has not bothered to exempt the region from loadshedding,” he said.

Khan said that the loadshedding of six to eight hours in urban areas and 12 to 14 hours in rural areas has made the lives of the people miserable.

He threatened that if the Wapda did not stop the practice of prolonged power cuts in the region, the traders will set up a permanent protest camp outside AJK Legislative Assembly from 23 January.

Later, the protesters dispersed peacefully.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2014.