Hunza [PoGB], January 8 : Pakistan's critical trade route with China remained blocked for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday as thousands of people continue to hold protest against prolonged power outages in the mountainous region, VOA News reported.
The organizers of the sit-in in Hunza in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan have vowed to continue their protest until their demands are met. Rally leaders spoke about the persistent inadequate power supply in the region, noting that people face up to 23-hour electricity outages amid the winter season.
Both men and women participated in the protest amid the average daytime temperatures of -4°C and nighttime temperatures of -10°C, VOA News reported citing rally participants.
Rahim Aman, a Hunza resident, said that there was a substantial increase in protesters. He further said that female activists were seen making use of vehicles and loudspeakers to encourage people to participate in the rally. He said representatives of local political parties, traders and hotel associations were also present in the rally.
Local authorities tried to negotiate with the protesters. However, they were unable to convince them to disperse and restore traffic movement along the Karakoram Highway connecting Pakistan to China. Hunza is situated on a roadway traversing the Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan region which shares a border with China's western Xinjiang province.
According to traders, a number of containers carrying commercial goods were stuck on both sides of the highway due to the sit-in. Protest in Hunza erupted more than a month after Pakistan and China said that they would keep their land port, the Khunjerab Pass, open for year-round operations to boost trade connectivity between the two nations, VOA News reported.
The impoverished Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan region is heavily dependent on hydropower. However, the generation almost stops during the winter months due to the freezing of rivers and lakes. As a result, residents and business owners, including hotels, need to use expensive thermal generators to maintain power supply.
Residents and area experts have said that the increase in the use of such generators by hotels and other commercial entities has damaged the atmosphere in Hunza and surrounding areas, according to VOA News report.
The Khunjerab Pass is an integral part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Since the launch of CPEC a decade ago, China has invested over USD 25 billion in Pakistan and has expressed willingness to use Gwadar as a strategic gateway to international markets.
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