Two more bodies formed for talks with dam protesters – Pakistan

GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Apex Committee which met on Tuesday decided to form two high-powered committees to hold talks with the affectees of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam who were staging a sit-in and make recommendations for the federal committee.

The protesters have been staging a sit-in in Chilas, district headquarters of Diamer, in freezing temperatures and biting cold for the last 10 days for the acceptance of their 31 demands.

The federal committee was constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to address grievances of Diamer-Bhasha Dam affected people.

Some of the demands of the protesters included 80 per cent royalty of Diamer-Bhasha Dam and 30pc royalty of Dassu Dam for Gilgit-Baltistan; free electricity to Diamer district and on discounted rate to the people of GB from the dam, compensation for 18,000 acres acquired for the dam, financial package for the remaining 3,000 families of affected by the dam, commercial and residential plots, education, health, sewerage projects, appointments of local people on the dam project from grade 1 to grade 16 and regularisation of contingent and daily wage employees.

Chilas sit-in enters day 10; demonstrators warn of march towards Bhasha Dam site if negotiations
are delayed

A Gilgit-Baltistan government press release issued on Tuesday said the apex committee meeting was presided over by GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan. Senior civil, military officials attended the meeting.

The apex committee discussed law and order, regional security, public safety, educational reforms, tourism and sports events, police reforms, the safety of the Karakoram Highway and Jaglot-Skardu Road, and measures to curb smuggling of illegal arms and drugs.

The two high-powered committees will hold talks with the protesters and draft their recommendations for the federal committee.

After submitting the recommendations, members of the federal committee will meet the protesters to determine the next course of action through mutual consultation.

The apex committee urged the dam affectees to form their own representative body to facilitate negotiations.

The commander of the Force Command Northern Areas reaffirmed that security forces are fully prepared to fulfil their responsibilities in maintaining peace and order in the region.

The meeting expressed firm commitment to ensure law and order in Gilgit-Baltistan through coordinated efforts.

Protesters sit-in enters 10th day

Meanwhile, the sit-in being held by those displaced during the construction of the dam continued on 10th day on Tuesday.

Speaking to protesters, the head of Protest Movement Committee (PMC), Hazratullah, announced that the committee would launch Plan B of the protest if their demands are not met till Wednesday.

Under Plan B, the protesters will march towards the Diamer-Bhasha Dam site to halt all construction activities.

Earlier, the PMC had announced that it will march towards the dam site on Tuesday, but postponed the march till Wednesday after a request of the federal government officials.

“The federal government authorities have requested us to wait until Wednesday, promising us that the federal committee members will reach Chilas and, therefore, it has been decided to wait until Wednesday to start the Plan B,” Mr Hazratullah told protesters.

“If the federal committee members fail to reach Chilas by noon Wednesday, the protesters will implement Plan B and they will march towards the dam site and shut down all activities until their all demands are met,” he added.

At the site, the protestors “will storm Wapda offices, dismantle their premises, and throw their machinery into the river”.

He warned that the responsibility for any consequences will be with the government.

He said a directive has been issued for all ongoing construction work at the dam site to be halted after 10am on Wednesday.

Earlier, the PPP GB chapter president, Advocate Amjad Hussain, addressed the protesters and assured them of his full support.

He said the dam is a “Rs10,000 billion” project, but locals have been deprived of all the economic benefits from the dam.

He said that if the protesters demands were not accepted, PPP ministers will resign from the GB government and join the protesters.

Advocate Hussain said that he will request PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and President Asif Ali Zardari to implement the 31 point demands of the protesters.

He said that Wapda top officials were responsible for creating the issue as they should have backed down from their stubbornness and ensured implementation of the demands of the local people.

According to Mr Hussain, the sit-in is still peaceful and it is a sign of an awakened nation.

He said that those in power should not put these oppressed people to further test and accept their legitimate demands.

Meanwhile, GB Awami Action Committee also announced that it will start its march from Gilgit to Chilas in solidarity with the protesters.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2025