- Hamza Imtiaz Web Desk
- Feb 10, 2025

Machinery imported for Diamer power plant rusting in open for 6 years
-
- Tanveer Abbas Web Desk
- Jan 16, 2025

GILGIT: As Gilgit-Baltistan grapples with approximately 20 hours of load shedding daily and the government was forced to run thermal power plants following a six-day-long protest, machinery imported for a one-megawatt hydroelectric plant in Diamer is deteriorating under open sky in Gilgit.
The machinery, worth millions of rupees, was imported from China in 2018 for a hydropower plant in Botogah village in the Diamer district. However, it has been left neglected in a warehouse in Danyore, Gilgit since then.
Muhammad Yaqoob, the warehouse owner, told HUM News English that the contractor for the project imported the machinery in 2018 and requested him to keep it on his premises for 10 to 15 days and disappeared.
“I asked the contractor many times to remove the machinery. But he continuously ignored my requests, saying he couldn’t find a suitable place to relocate the machinery, and assured me that he would pay the rent. However, not only did he fail to move the machinery, but also didn’t pay the rent, which now amounts to approximately Rs1.5 to 2 million. It has impacted the operations of my business,” he added.
Yaqoob said he informed the then G-B Power Secretary and the Executive Engineer (XEN) of Diamer about the issue. He said they assured him about addressing the matter but the machinery remains in the warehouse, rusting away to this day.
When contacted, Water & Power Department Chief Engineer for the Diamer region, Ghulam Murtaza, said the building for the project had been completed and the machinery would be shifted in February. Addressing the delays, he explained that local political rivalries often hindered construction work, causing significant setbacks in completing the project on time.
“Although the water channel and building have been completed, the pipes have not been installed yet. We cannot install the machinery in January due to the harsh cold weather. InshaAllah, it will be installed in February and operational by May,” he added.
Also Read: Pakistan to launch indigenous satellite tomorrow
Earlier this month, residents of Hunza blocked the Karakoram Highway for six days in protest against 22-hour-long load shedding during harsh winter conditions. As a result, a high-level meeting chaired by Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah accepted the 14-point charter of demands of the protestors. After the acceptance, the protestors opened the road and ended their sit-in in Hunza.
Protesters demanded that the Gilgit-Baltistan government operate thermal generators to reduce the duration of power outages during winters. The government agreed to run thermal generators in all power crisis-hit districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, ensuring at least four hours of electricity through thermal generation.
Secretary for Water and Power Sanaullah told HUM News English last month that Skardu, Gilgit, Central Hunza, Chilas, and Khaplu were the most-affected areas where load shedding spanned over 20 hours.
