Zahiruddin
Chitral, July 10, 2036: Civil society members in Lower Chitral staged a protest after Friday prayers against prolonged power outages, the imposition of taxes in Malakand Division, and poor mobile network services.
They warned that the public would launch a sit-in if their demands were not addressed.
The demonstration, organized by Civil Society Lower Chitral at Ataliq Bridge in Chitral’s main bazaar, was chaired by Awami National Party Lower Chitral President Haji Eid Hussain.
Addressing the gathering, representatives of various political parties, traders, lawyers and religious leaders criticized what they described as unannounced electricity loadshedding despite Chitral’s significant hydropower generation.
They also objected to the collection of multiple taxes through electricity bills, arguing that local residents were being deprived of the benefits of the region’s natural resources.
The speakers said Chitral deserved royalty from its electricity production instead of additional financial burdens, while also rejecting the extension of taxes to Malakand Division and demanding that the region’s tax-free status be maintained.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Qazi Naseem also criticized the functioning of the local Benazir Income Support Programme office, alleging that women were repeatedly forced to visit the office despite lodging complaints.
Jamaat-e-Islami leader Maulana Jamshed Ahmad warned that if electricity outages and other public issues were not resolved immediately, protesters would stage a sit-in at DC Office Chowk with the support of political and civil society groups.
Traders’ Union President Noor Ahmad Khan Charvelo warned of a stronger protest campaign, including a possible siege of the WAPDA office, if prolonged load shedding continued.
The participants also expressed concern over poor services provided by a mobile network operator in the district, warning that consumers would consider boycotting the company if network quality failed to improve.
The speakers said their movement would remain peaceful and within constitutional limits but warned that protests would be intensified if the authorities failed to respond to their demands.
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