SHANGLA: People of Bisham tehsil on Wednesday warned of blocking the Karakoram Highway and launching a protest movement if Water and Power Development Authority did not change the route of the transmission lines of the Diamer-Bhasha and Dasu hydropower projects.

The warning came at a jirga called by the committee of the affected people.

The participants said that they had been facing severe problems due to unscheduled electric loadshedding despite sacrificing their precious lands for the two mega power projects.

The transmission lines of the multibillion dollar Diamer-Bhasha and Dasu hydropower projects are planned to pass through Bisham tehsil to connect them to the national grid.

Wapda has conducted two different surveys in collaboration with the World Bank, which is financing the green energy projects. However, the Bisham residents rejected the survey, arguing that the pylons were being erectedthrough the populated areas, posing a health hazard.

The jirga participants said that the transmission lines should be laid away from the populated areas and that Wapda pay compensation to the landowners.

Abbas Khan, a participant, said that residents were not provided with electric supply generated locally. “People here are braving 15 hours of power cuts daily.”

Syed Abrar, another attendee, accused the Wapda of backtracking on its promises. “This time we will not give our fertile lands for laying of the transmission lines.”

Participant Riyaz Khan said that Wapda won’t be allowed to ‘usurp’ the rights of local people.

Fazl Mabud Gujjar, another participant of the jirga, said that people would come together to block the government’s move to use their lands for laying the transmission lines without first compensating them and ending prolonged power cuts.

Another jirga participant said that they would not let Wapda ‘destroy’ their lands.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2025