GILGIT: Life in Skardu city and adjoining areas came to a standstill on Thursday due to a complete shutter-down strike and rallies against the suspension of electric supply for the last four days in the biting cold weather.

The call for protest was given by the Anjuman-i-Tajiran Skardu and civil society organisations.

The rallies and closure of markets stressed out the people, who faced difficulties in movement and getting groceries.

Also, road users struggled to reach destinations due to rallies.

The representatives of political and civil society organisations and people from other walks of life took out rallies in different parts of the city.

The main rallies began at Hussaini Chowk and Benazir Chowk and ended Yadgar Chowk blocking all major roads of the city.

The protesters burned old tyres and shouted slogans against the GB government and water and power department insisting they’re deliberately being subjected to the excessive power cuts.

They also claimed many local powerhouses didn’t function due to the massive corruption in the water and power department.

The protesters complained about the prolonged unscheduled loadshedding but said the city and adjoining areas had been without electricity for the last four days to the misery of the people already affected by the cold weather.

The representatives of Anjuman-i-Tajiraan Skardu, including Abdullah Haider and Najaf Ali, said the region had been in the grip of severe cold weather for many weeks and the electric supply remained suspended for 18-20 hours daily.

They said there had been a power blackout in the city for the last four days but the water and power department hadn’t taken corrective measures despite their protests.

Criticising GB water and power minister Haji Akbar Taban and relevant officials, who belong to Skardu, the traders said the suspension of electricity coupled with the chilly weather had paralysed life in the region.

The resident demanded the resignation of the power minister over the crisis and warned they would block the main Skardu-Gilgit Road for indefinite period if smooth electric supply to them was not ensured.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2017