ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of protesters in Pakistan’s northern Hunza Valley blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday, demonstrating against severe power outages during the region’s freezing winter.
The protest, which began on January 1, involves local residents, political parties and civil society groups who vowed to continue their sit-in until their demands for reliable electricity were met.
Demonstrators on Tuesday voiced frustration over the Gilgit-Baltistan government’s failure to ensure even a few hours of power each day, saying over 80,000 people were struggling for basic needs.
The KKH, a vital trade and strategic route linking Pakistan with China, has been obstructed at Aliabad, the district headquarters of Hunza. The area plays a critical role in bilateral trade facilitated by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has increased since an agreement to keep the Khunjerab Pass open year-round for economic exchanges.
“This is a nerve-breaking power outage in Hunza,” said Baba Jan, a protester, speaking at the sit-in. “We are getting power only 30-40 minutes in 24 hours.
“It is very cold here,” he added. “The temperature drops to minus 15 at night. Students don’t have Internet due to the power outage. There are issues in lighting, heating and cooking that people are facing here.”
Rehan Shah, another protester agreed, emphasizing the area’s important defense and strategic location.
“It’s the gate of CPEC and Pakistan-China connectivity,” he noted. “People here are hardly getting power for one hour and twenty minutes during the daytime. They’ve been out protesting on the streets for the last six days.”
Power cuts, known locally as load shedding, are a chronic issue in Pakistan, with many areas facing significant disruptions. The harsh winters in Gilgit-Baltistan exacerbate the problem, leaving residents without adequate heating or access to essential services.
Last week, Hamid Hussain, an engineer at the Gilgit-Baltistan Water and Power Department, acknowledged the issue but attributed it to technical limitations.
“The region heavily relies on hydropower, which often faces disruption in winter due to the freezing of rivers and lakes,” he told Arab News.
“There are 137 power stations in Gilgit-Baltistan,” he added. “The installed capacity of these power stations is 190 megawatts. However, power generation is 140 megawatts during the summer while 76 megawatts during the winter due to the low flow of water.”
Protesters have demanded thermal power generators to supplement energy needs during the winter, but Hussain said they were costly and were hard to implement due to financial constraints.
Protesters in Pakistan’s north continue blockade of key highway to China over power outages
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Protesters in Pakistan’s north continue blockade of key highway to China over power outages
- Residents of Gilgit-Baltistan started a sit-in on Jan.1, vowing to protest until they got reliable electricity
- Despite the area’s significance, some residents say they only get electricity for 30 minutes in 24 hours
Spin-heavy Pakistan hit form, but India boycott risks early T20 exit
- Pakistan face must-win group matches, leaving no margin for error in T20 World Cup progression
- Recent series wins have restored confidence, but batting volatility remains Pakistan’s biggest risk
LAHORE: Pakistan’s spin-heavy squad are in winning form ahead of the T20 World Cup, but a controversial decision to forfeit their marquee clash against India could still trigger another early exit.
Pakistan came close to withdrawing from the tournament in solidarity with Bangladesh, who pulled out after refusing to play in India, citing security concerns.
The Pakistan government eventually cleared the team’s participation but it barred them from facing India in Colombo in a blockbuster clash on February 15.
With two points for a win, a forfeit of the match will leave Pakistan with no margin for error if they are to progress as one of the top two from a five-team Group A.
It means they must win their opening game against the Netherlands in Colombo on Saturday and beat the United States three days later to stay in contention.
Their final group game will be against Namibia on February 18.
Captain Salman Agha said the move to boycott the India game was out of the team’s hands.
“That is not our decision. We have to follow what our government decides,” he said.
The Pakistan government has not said what their stance might be if the team were to end up facing India again in the semifinals or final. Agha was not thinking about that.
“Our job is to win, and we are capable of doing that,” he said.
Pakistan will be keen to avoid a repeat of the last T20 World Cup in 2024, where a shock super over defeat to co-hosts the United States led to them failing to get out of the group.
The side has since faced criticism for failing to adapt to the modern demands of T20 cricket, with the batting, particularly Babar Azam’s low strike rate, under scrutiny.
The criticism was fueled by Pakistan’s record last year, where 21 of their 34 T20 international wins came against lower-ranked opponents.
CONFIDENCE RESTORED
Against elite teams, the results were sobering: three losses to India in the Asia Cup and a 4-1 series defeat to New Zealand.
However, Agha believes recent performances have restored confidence.
Pakistan beat South Africa 2-1, won a home tri-series, and then completed a 3-0 sweep of an under-strength Australia.
“We’ve had good preparation by beating Australia. We have the luxury of quality spinning all-rounders like Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub.
“We’re ticking most boxes and believe we can win the World Cup,” Agha said.
The spin department has been strengthened by Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq, the latter known for his unusual, slingy action and exaggerated pause at the crease.
The pace attack is led by the experienced Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.
Faheem Ashraf provides seam-bowling all-round support and newcomer Salman Mirza has been impressive.
Batting remains Pakistan’s most volatile component.
When openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan provide strong starts, the side can post competitive totals, but collapses remain a constant threat.
Head coach Mike Hesson has added another layer of risk by leaving out experienced wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan because of poor form, opting instead for makeshift options in Usman Khan, Khawaja Nafay and Farhan.
For Pakistan, the ingredients for a deep run are present, but with points potentially forfeited, there is little room left for error.
