Anger grows in Pakistan's Gilgit Baltistan over resource exploitation, power crisis

A senior journalist from Gilgit Baltistan, Yousuf Nashad has expressed his anger against the ruling dispensation in Pakistan and said that despite having abundant water, the people in the occupied region have neither received education nor electricity in the last 75 years.

People in Gilgit Baltistan are forced to live in harsh conditions as Pakistan has denied basic rights to them.

Amid several atrocities carried out by the Pakistani government, the residents of Gilgit Baltistan are compelled to live under darkness.

Suffering major power breakdowns for months, Gilgit Baltistan is witnessing a wave of protests against the ruling dispensation.

Moreover, people are disappointed over the fact that when it comes to exploitation of resources and people, the puppet government in Gilgit Baltistan is also not behind the Islamabad dispensation.

Recently the government in Gilgit Baltistan announced an increase in the subsidised wheat rate from Rs 20 kg to Rs 52 per kg.

The Islamabad-controlled government is also facing backlash for supplying low-quality wheat.

Yousuf Nashad said in an interview, “Despite having abundant water, we neither received education nor electricity in the last 75 years. We didn’t receive anything. Regarding wheat, I would like to say that its quality is very bad. People are falling ill after consuming it. Chapatis made of this wheat look completely black. Any minister or chief secretary should try this, then they will come to know the reality.”

The residents in Gilgit Baltistan are carrying out demonstrations to seek economic and political rights.

While demanding the basic necessities like employment, energy, wheat, and education, the residents are also bringing up the problem of land grabbing.

According to reports, the Pakistani Army and officials of security services are engaged in illegal land grabbing in the region.

In such troublesome circumstances, the opening of the Skardu-Kargil road has been demanded by the people of Gilgit Baltistan, who feel that it is the only way to lessen the darkness in their lives.

“The tenders for 14 Megawatt and 16 Megawatt were allotted together. 14 Megawatt is ready but 16 Megawatt is still not ready. Some are saying that the related company is also connected to the administration. If 16 MW had been completed, we would have got adequate electricity. The area is being looted in every way. We feel that we are once again standing on the crossroads of 1947, where we could repeat history”, said Yousuf.

Amid mass protests in Gilgit Baltistan, the politics of Islamabad seems to be in doldrums. With people threatening to repeat history, Pakistan is facing a new phase of turbulent time.

Pakistan’s own misguided policies over the years have left it in a difficult situation. The startling aspect of the entire tale, though, is that Pakistan is still unwilling to own up to its mistakes.