The protests in Hunza’s Aliabad district against the ongoing power crisis entered their fourth consecutive day, with the Karakoram Highway—linking China and Pakistan—remaining blocked throughout.
This standoff, if not resolved promptly, threatens not only to disrupt trade with China but also to deepen the frustration of the Gilgit-Baltistani people, who feel neglected in the distribution of electricity. The government must act swiftly to address these grievances, ensuring a peaceful resolution while prioritising the region’s development.
Residents of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have repeatedly taken to the streets, protesting what they see as an inequitable and unjust allocation of electricity. The situation becomes dire in the winter months, when power outages are most debilitating. In Hunza, where temperatures plummet during winter, electricity is essential for heating, snow removal, and maintaining basic living standards. Without it, life becomes a daily struggle, and the economic repercussions are significant.
Hunza’s economy, which heavily depends on the export of niche goods and a flourishing tourism industry, suffers greatly when electricity is scarce. Pakistan has been striving to position Hunza as an international tourist destination, attracting visitors from beyond its borders.
However, a consistent power supply is critical to supporting the infrastructure required for tourism, as well as for enabling locals to sustain economically viable livelihoods. The current practice of providing electricity during the summer tourism season but withdrawing it in the winter—when it is most needed—reflects a short-sighted policy that exacerbates the region’s hardships.
The protests, which have disrupted transit along the Karakoram Highway, are a direct result of this neglect. While such disruptions are regrettable, they are perhaps the only way to draw the government’s attention to these long-standing issues. The government cannot afford to let this crisis linger. Immediate steps must be taken to provide the people of Gilgit-Baltistan with their rightful share of electricity.
In the long term, Pakistan must prioritise increasing its electricity generation capacity to ensure that such crises do not arise again. Strategic investments in renewable energy and regional power infrastructure are crucial, particularly for remote areas like Gilgit-Baltistan, which face unique challenges due to their geography and climate.
In Hunza, where temperatures plummet during winter, electricity is essential for heating, snow removal, and maintaining basic living standards. Without it, life becomes a daily struggle, and the economic repercussions are significant.
