Muzaffarabad: People in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have intensified protests as they are facing load shedding of about 18 to 20 hours during the severe winter season. Despite frequent load shedding, local residents have to pay inflated electricity bills, further adding to their anger.
Amid intense protests against load shedding, a large number of people in the area have called for a boycott of bill payments until their grievances are resolved. Syed Hafiz Hamdani, a local protester, said, “Today is the 43rd day of our protest. Our protest continues in various parts of PoK. There is now complete load shedding in Muzaffarabad.
The government has resorted to poor tactics.” “All areas are facing load shedding of 13 to 14 hours, while rural areas are facing load shedding of around 20 hours,” he said. People have boycotted electricity bills. There is an issue of tariff, people are not accepting this tariff.” In December last year, a complete strike was observed and the locals called upon the government to take immediate action to stop load shedding. Earlier in September, civil society activists were seen throwing thousands of electricity bills into a river in Muzaffarabad. However, the cries of the people have failed to reach the deaf ears of the government. People of all ages and economic classes have been affected by the electricity crisis. Power cuts during school hours disrupt the regular functioning of schools in PoK and students face great difficulty in doing academic work.
Uncertainty about electricity availability and pressure to perform better in schools are increasing the stress levels of young students.
In view of this serious situation, the local government is adopting new tactics to end the protests of the people.
In an attempt to end the protests by traders, the administration in Muzaffarabad has started income tax survey. Anjuman Tajran president Shaukat Javed Mir said, “I want to tell the (PoK) Prime Minister that the survey you suddenly started was never conducted in the last 76 years. Suddenly, you realize it at that moment that traders are playing an important role in the protests.
When you saw that traders have gathered and there is a boycott of electricity bills, and people have come out for their rights, you suddenly started this survey. He said, “You are threatening traders that if they do not stop participating in the protests, they will have to pay taxes. We have never refused to pay taxes. We simply disagreed with your methods.” Local residents of PoK claim that only big government offices have facilities like heaters and generators. He claims that most of the time, the bills for these facilities are not paid.
Urging the government to stop the practice of VVIP culture, local residents of the area are insisting that their basic rights come first. Residents of the area, which produces large amounts of electricity, are facing undue financial hardship as a result of rising bills. They have been fighting for their rights ever since Pakistan’s illegal occupation of the area started. They have been treated unfairly by successive governments in Islamabad.
