LAST week, Federal Minister for Interior, Mohsin Naqvi, visited the F-8 Underpass and Serena Square Interchange project sites in Islamabad, claiming that the construction of the F-8 Underpass had been completed in a record 42 days. He also promised that the Serena Square Interchange would be finished in a similarly short time due to its sensitive location. While such rapid developments, often dubbed as ‘Shehbaz Speed’, are commendable, they deepen the sense of inferiority and deprivation among people from backward areas of Pakistan, who continue to face neglect and delayed progress in their own regions.
My first visit to Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) in December 2018, as a member of a local NGO, opened my eyes to the disparity in development. In Gilgit, the main city of G-B, the power supply lasted a mere two hours a day. Even when power was available, the voltage was so low that only a small LED bulb or a cellphone could be charged. This situation was starkly different from the developments being highlighted in the capital, showcasing the extreme regional inequality in terms of basic infrastructure.
I then traveled to Passu, a small village in Upper Hunza, famous for its stunning Passu Cones. The locals there informed me that during winter, there was no electricity at all. To combat the cold, they relied on burning wood in bukharis, an iron stove connected to a chimney. However, G-B’s mountainous terrain is largely barren and what little wood is available comes from poplars or fruit trees, further exacerbating the problem. The scarcity of resources made survival in winter a challenge for many residents.
In Karimabad, Dr. Arshad Hussain, a mathematics teacher at the Karakorum University’s Hunza campus, informed me that the situation in Hunza, though not as bleak, was still far from satisfactory. The electricity supply here lasted just one hour out of 24. Despite the region’s natural beauty and tourism potential, this was the reality for its residents. This glaring issue of basic services in a region that contributes so much to the country’s tourism industry and cultural heritage speaks volumes about the lack of attention from the central government.
While the shortage of water in winter hampers power generation at the small Misgar (3 MW) and Khyber (900 kW) hydropower stations in Hunza, the problem persists even in the summer. Despite some improvements, with the power supply doubling in the warmer months, it remains insufficient to meet the needs of the local population. Moreover, the Aga Khan Fund’s installation of a one-megawatt solar system in Duikar village, a popular tourist destination in Hunza, also failed to resolve the issue due to low sunlight in the winter months.
The irony of the situation is that Hunza is home to Attabad Lake, a natural reservoir that could potentially solve much of the region’s energy problems. However, despite more than a decade passing since the lake’s formation, the federal government has failed to exploit its potential. Rumors of a 54 MW dam to harness the power of Attabad Lake have circulated for years, but no significant progress has been made. The government’s inaction highlights the red tape, incompetence and neglect that pervade the country’s approach to regional development.
While large projects like the Diamer-Basha Dam, expected to be completed around 2030, continue to dominate attention, smaller and more practical solutions, such as the Attabad Dam, remain overlooked. With genuine commitment, the government could complete the Attabad Dam within a year, exemplifying true ‘Shehbaz Speed.’ However, the persistent neglect of regions like Hunza, overshadowed by the focus on Islamabad and Lahore, deepens the locals’ sense of abandonment and marginalization.
—The writer is a contributing columnist, who contributes on national and international political issues.
