KHAPLU, Gilgit-Baltistan: A key land route connecting Pakistan and China was blocked indefinitely by angry protesters in northern Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday, as hundreds of them staged sit-ins against prolonged power outages in the region.
The Karakoram Highway (KKH), a vital trade route between the two countries, was obstructed at Ali Abad, a significant point in the Hunza Valley. The area has witnessed a gradual increase in trade activity following an agreement between Pakistan and China to keep the Khunjerab Pass open year-round to facilitate economic exchanges.
Last month, Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation conducted its first international cargo transportation via the border, moving goods from China to the United Arab Emirates.
“Hunza is experiencing severe power outages,” Zahoor Ilahi, a protest leader from the Awami Workers Party, told Arab News over the phone. “That’s why we have blocked the Karakoram Highway.”
“The highway has been blocked for all kinds of traffic at Ali Abad since afternoon, and we will not end the sit-in until our demands are met,” he added. “The government is not running the thermal station generators, and all parts of Hunza are facing over 20 hours of power crisis.”
Protests were also held in other parts of Hunza, including Sost and Gulmit, with shutter-down strikes observed against the prolonged power crisis.
“There has been no progress in the power sector for the last three to four years in Hunza,” Rehan Shah, a local resident of the area, told Arab News. “The speed of work on the power projects is very slow, and all residents want an uninterrupted supply of electricity.”
Shah said the protests were jointly organized by various political parties and trade associations in the region.
Meanwhile, protests were also observed in other parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, including Danyor in Gilgit city.
Speaking to Arab News, Advocate Ehsan Ali, president of the Awami Action Committee, said that most districts in the region were facing prolonged power cuts.
“The duration of the power crisis in Gilgit city is about 20 hours,” he said. “Skardu is facing 21 to 22 hours of power cuts, and Hunza is also experiencing the same. Similarly, districts like Ghizer and Chilas are also dealing with the worst kind of power outages.”
“Millions of rupees have been spent on power projects, but unfortunately, none are producing enough electricity,” he said. “In the 21st century, electricity is still unavailable here.”
Hamid Hussain, an engineer at the Gilgit-Baltistan Water and Power Department, acknowledged the issue but attributed it to technical reasons, saying the region heavily relied on hydropower, which often faced disruption in winter due to the freezing of rivers and lakes.
“There are 137 power stations in Gilgit-Baltistan,” he told Arab News. “The installed capacity of these power stations is 190 megawatts. However, power generation is 140 megawatts during the summer while 76 megawatts during the winter due to the low flow of water.”
“The residents of Hunza are demanding thermal generators,” he added. “But we can’t run them due to financial reasons. There are many thermal generators in Gilgit, but we can’t fulfill people’s demand due to the high fuel cost.”
Hussain said his department would run the thermal generators to reduce the power crisis if the government decided to release funds.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi announced on Friday the issuance of 94 visas to Indian pilgrims to attend the birth anniversary of a revered 18th-century Hindu spiritual leader in the southern province of Sindh.
Shiv Avtari Sant Shadaram Sahib was born in 1708 in Lahore, now part of Pakistan. Known for his spiritual teachings and emphasis on universal love, he is believed to be an incarnation of Shiva, one of the principal deities in Hinduism, by his followers.
His most notable legacy is the founding of Shadani Darbar, a prominent Hindu temple and spiritual center located in Hayat Pitafi, situated in Ghotki District, which became a pilgrimage destination.
“@PakinIndia has issued 94 visas to Indian pilgrims for their visit to Pakistan to participate in the 316th Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Shiv Avtari Stguru Sant Shadaram Sahib, at Shadani Darbar Hayat Pitafi, Sindh from 05-15 January 2025,” the high commission posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
It mentioned that the Charge d’Affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich wished the pilgrims a “rewarding and fulfilling journey,” emphasizing Pakistan’s commitment to preserving sacred religious sites and facilitating pilgrimages.
Religious tourism remains a key aspect of cultural exchanges between India and Pakistan, governed by the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines. This agreement allows devotees from both countries to visit sacred sites, including Hindu temples in Pakistan and Islamic shrines in India. However, political tensions between the two nations have at times disrupted these exchanges, with instances where visas were denied to religious pilgrims.
In recent years, Pakistan has actively promoted religious tourism, welcoming Buddhist monks as well as Hindu and Sikh pilgrims from India and across the globe. The inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor in 2019, which allows visa-free travel for Indian Sikhs to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, is a significant milestone in these efforts.
Each year, a large number of Indian Sikhs also travel to Pakistan to pay homage at sacred sites, including Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Samadhi in Lahore, the last resting place of the founder of the Sikh Empire, and Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, revered for its connection to Guru Nanak.