In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the workers of the Dasu Hydropower Project started a protest that has already turned into a two‑day block of the Karakoram Highway. The demonstration began on the 11th of October and has held traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan‑occupied Gilgit‑Baltistan for several hours, according to Dawn.
Hundreds of laborers gathered in Chuchang, Upper Kohistan, after marching along the highway. They shouted against what they see as exploitation and negligence by the company running the massive energy project. The workers say that, even though the government has fixed the monthly wage at Rs 40,000 for 26 working days, they are still underpaid. Many have been waiting months to receive their dues.
One protester shared that the wage delays have pushed them to the brink: “We can’t even afford basic food or school for our children,” he told reporters. The workers also complained that shopkeepers are no longer extending credit on credit, cutting off essential supplies.
If their concerns are pushed aside, the laborers have warned that they might stop working entirely. Such a halt could stall progress on one of Pakistan’s major hydropower projects, a point they used to press the authorities for intervention.
In response, the local Baffa-Pakhal administration announced plans to launch an anti‑encroachment drive across the tehsil. Assistant Commissioner Nayab Abbasi said that notices have already been sent to encroachers on the Karakoram Highway and other key routes. She added that the move aims to improve traffic flow and civic order, and that even a decaying community centre will be demolished for a new facility.
The protest highlights ongoing labor rights issues in Pakistan’s energy sector, the conflict between workers and project management, and the importance of enforcing national employment laws. The situation remains under close watch by local officials and national media.
Source: aninews
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