Protesters Block Karakoram Highway Over Unfulfilled WAPDA Promises in Lower Kohistan, Pakistan

Residents of Ranowali and Dubair in Pakistan's Lower Kohistan district protested by blocking the Karakoram Highway due to WAPDA's failure to honor a 2022 agreement on road reconstruction and water supply. The protest caused significant disruptions, highlighting ongoing issues with government services and infrastructure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, residents from the Ranowali and Dubair areas in the Lower Kohistan district staged a protest blocking the Karakoram Highway. The demonstration was fueled by the Water and Power Development Authority of Pakistan's (WAPDA) failure to meet the terms of a 2022 agreement concerning road reconstruction and water supply, as reported by Dawn. The blockade on Friday led to significant travel disruptions between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB).

Former provincial minister Malik Aurangzeb revealed that protesters chanted slogans against WAPDA in Dubair. He stated that the WAPDA chairman had signed an agreement in a jirga (a traditional assembly of leaders) two years ago to reconstruct 28 km of Dubair Road and 6 km of Ranowali Road and to supply potable water, but no progress had been made. Aurangzeb accused the Pakistani government of neglecting residents' grievances despite multiple protests.

Moreover, Malik Salahuddin emphasized that during a 2022 meeting with the Dubair Khawar project victims, the WAPDA chairman had committed to repairing two local roads and restoring drinking water systems damaged by flash floods, with the World Bank's assistance. However, these promises remain unfulfilled. In the same protest, Dubair Bala village council chairman Juma Shah Jallai insisted that WAPDA must guarantee the safety of individuals living downstream from the Dubair Khawar hydropower project. He mentioned that while the commissioner of Hazara division had invited them to Abbottabad for talks, they preferred discussions on their home ground with all stakeholders present.

Previously, local governments, including tehsil, village, and neighborhood councils, had protested against the provincial government for not releasing development funds since local governments were established in the province roughly three years ago. Government services in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are plagued by issues related to outdated infrastructure and a lack of basic resources, hampering the effective delivery of public services.

(With inputs from agencies.)