KOHISTAN: Residents of Upper Kohistan held a sit-in outside the deputy commissioner’s office on Monday, observing a shutdown and wheel-jam strike in Komila bazaar.
This protest was against the Water and Power Development Authority’s (Wapda) failure to honour its commitments concerning the 4,700MW Dasu Hydropower Project.
The Dasu Dam Affectees’ Committee organized the sit-in. The day before, they had gathered hundreds of protesters, including traders and transporters, to shut down businesses and participate in a shutter-down strike across Upper Kohistan.
Protesters marched through the Komila and Dasu bazaars, carrying banners and placards displaying their demands, and shouted slogans against Wapda and its management.
Mohammad Hassan, a leader of the committee, stated that months of meetings with Wapda had resulted in nothing but empty promises. “Wapda agreed to our 13 demands but failed to fulfill them, forcing us to take to the streets again,” he emphasized.
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The demands of the Dasu project affectees included compensation for houses demolished for the dam’s construction, compensation for stoves, the construction of a hospital for the local population, and job opportunities for locals, including recruitment in the project’s operation.
They also called for an increase in development funds for Upper Kohistan, the allocation of one per cent of DHPP income for local uplift, commercial rates for areas near the Karakoram Highway, and the establishment of new schools, colleges, and a university in the district.
Mohammad Hassan remarked that the affectees never opposed the project; they sacrificed their properties and endured hardships for the successful completion of the project, which would benefit the entire country.
He stated that the sit-in would continue until Wapda management addressed their demands in action rather than just through paper agreements, as they had already signed several agreements in the past.
Deputy commissioner, Upper Kohistan, noted, “The protesters staged a sit-in outside our office, even though their issue is relevant to Wapda.” He added, “Their concerns should be addressed by the officials of DHPP.”
