GILGIT: The federal government on Thursday constituted a high-level committee to address the concerns and grievances of the Diamer Bhasha Dam project affected people whose sit-in in Chilas for a 31-point charter of demands entered the fifth consecutive day.
The affected people have demanded the resolution of compensation for displaced families, landowners, and businesses, along with infrastructure development, employment opportunities, and access to utilities for the affected population.
According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) & SAFRON, the committee was formed under the directive of the prime minister to look into the demands of Diamer Bhasha Dam affected people and to address their genuine grievances.
The committee headed by the Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan & SAFRON, with the minister for water resources serving as co-chairman, includes G-B Chief Minister Gulbar Khan, the secretary of KA, GB & SAFRON, the WAPDA chairman and the G-B chief secretary.
The notification also states that additional members may be co-opted as required.
The Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan & SAFRON will provide secretariat support to the committee, facilitating its operations and ensuring coordination among stakeholders.
Talking to HUM News English, Molana Hazratullah, head of the committee overseeing the protest, said they had not received the official notification but had seen it on social media.
Hazratullah said the government had overlooked their demand to include three ministers — the minister for planning, the minister for finance, and the minister for water and power — and had only included the minister for water and power.
“G-B ministers have arrived in Chilas, and we will meet with them to hear their point of view. After that, we will convene a meeting of Majlis-e-Shura, a 40-member council overseeing the protests, which will decide the future course of action. We are ready to implement a Plan-B if negotiations fail,” he added.
The affected people of the Diamer-Basha Dam project launched the Huqooq Do, Dam Banao Tehreek (give rights, build the dam movement) on Sunday when thousands of affected people gathered at Siddique Akbar Chowk in Chilas to press for their 31-point charter of demands.
Later, the protesters marched toward the Karakoram Highway where they staged a sit-in on the ground without blocking the road.
The protesters initially announced that they would march toward the Diamer-Basha Dam construction site on Monday.
However, they later decided against it after a meeting was convened in Islamabad, where it was announced that a high-level committee would be formed.