Severe Water Crisis Sparks Women-Led Protests in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan Amid Power Shortages

Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) is facing a severe water crisis, with residents of Gilgit city struggling to access even basic drinking water as prolonged power shortages disrupt supply systems, according to a post shared by WTV on Facebook.

The situation has triggered protests, particularly led by women, highlighting what locals describe as deep administrative negligence and governance failure.

For several days, taps across multiple neighbourhoods in Gilgit have remained dry, with the crisis attributed primarily to limited electricity supply that has paralysed the water pumping system.

Without adequate power, authorities have been unable to distribute water across the city, forcing families to search for alternative sources, as per the WTV post.

Political leader Amjad Hussain Azar, who visited the protest sites, stated that water scarcity intensifies during February and March due to rising demand coupled with reduced supply.

How are electricity shortages worsening the water crisis in Gilgit city?

He noted that electricity shortages during these months severely affect water distribution, leaving the entire city struggling.

According to Azar, several areas, including the Bazaar locality and Jutial, have witnessed protests over the persistent shortage.

He emphasised that women are facing significant hardship due to the lack of water supply, as household responsibilities become increasingly difficult to manage without regular access to water.

Officials were reportedly aware that the main water pump in Gilgit required a dedicated special power line to function efficiently.

A formal request had been submitted by the Gilgit Development Authority to the Water and Power Department for the installation of the special line.

How did limited electricity supply cripple water distribution in Gilgit?

However, despite assurances, the required infrastructure was not provided, as cited by the WTV post. Azar said that during his visit, he called representatives from the electricity and water departments, along with administrative officials, to assess the situation on the ground.

It was found that the pump installed below the Tablighi Centre could not operate effectively due to the absence of a dedicated power line.

With electricity available for barely an hour, it became impossible to supply water to the entire population within that limited timeframe.

As a result, the shortage persisted, and protesters' demands were deemed legitimate.

Residents argue that the water crisis reflects broader systemic mismanagement in PoGB.

Why does PoGB still lack full constitutional status despite Pakistan’s control since 1948?

Beyond water scarcity, the region continues to face prolonged power outages, fragile infrastructure, limited employment opportunities, and healthcare facilities lacking doctors and essential medicines, the WTV post reported.

Islamabad's handling of dissent in PoGB has showcased the structural contradictions in the governance model of the region.

Despite forcibly having administrative control since 1948, Pakistan has not given full constitutional status to PoGB, resulting in federal government and military-related institutions to have decisive authority over resources and political institutions of PoGB while restricting meaningful local representation, a leading Afghan media outlet has stated.

Economic grievances, energy shortages and concerns over China-backed infrastructure projects have increased in recent years.

In response to public mobilisation, Pakistan has imposed coercive measures, arrests and regulatory pressure.

Is constitutional ambiguity the root cause of unrest in PoGB?

The constitutional ambiguity of PoGB is the core structural cause for unrest in the region.

Political frustration increased after former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's pledge to grant provincial status did not materialise.

Instead, Pakistan's federal government implemented new taxation measures in 2022, leading to widespread protests in Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza, and other areas.

Local traders associations and the Awami Action Committee held protests and shutdowns, contending that taxation without constitutional representation violated basic federal principles, Khaama Press reported.

Protest leaders argued that revenue collected from PoGB was flowing directly to the federal exchequer without proportional reinvestment in the region, reinforcing the view that Pakistan considers PoGB as a revenue and resource frontier instead of an equal political unit.

Despite having glaciers that feed the Indus River system and possessing deposits of gold, copper, and rare earth minerals, PoGB faces severe energy shortages, especially during winter months when power cuts can go beyond 18 to 20 hours per day in some regions.

Local residents and civil society groups have repeatedly voiced concerns regarding the delayed compensation for displaced communities and the lack of local employment guarantees.

According to reports, most workers on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)-related projects in PoGB are non-locals, including Chinese nationals and labourers from other provinces of Pakistan.

Environmental concerns have also been raised over Chinese-supported projects in PoGB. Local activists have raised objections to land acquisition practices, ecological risks, and the lack of transparency in CPEC-related projects and dam construction, it added.

Over the past three years, protests have been held against these projects in Hunza and Diamer, with demonstrators stressing that local residents face the environmental costs while Pakistan's Punjab province and China enjoy economic benefits.

(With inputs from ANI)