Affectees of KKH expansion project wait for compensation
Special Reporter
Gilgit, December 17: Thousands of families in three districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, Diamer, Gilgit and Hunza-Nagar are waiting to be compensated for the loss of precious land during the expansion of the Karakoram Highway.
The KKH has been paved and carpeted as part of a project spanning over a period of almost 7 years. During these years the land owners have neither been able to cultivate their land, nor have they been compensated for the loss of means of livelihood.
The largest chunk of agricultural land used during the expansion project is located in the Hunza-Nagar district, stretching from the Khunzhrav National Park in the Gojal Valley, upper Hunza, to the lower limits of Nagar sub-division.
The National Highways Authorities has been delaying the payment of compensation for years and years without any proper justification. The Gilgit-Baltistan Legis
lative Assembly has also failed to raise any voice in favor of the thousands of families who are suffering for almost a decade.
The local people are demanding of the federal government and human rights organizations to take stock of the situation and ensure payment of the compensation money to the affected families, in line with the law of the land.
The expansion project is being implemented by a Chinese company, in view of the country’s strategic interest in the region. However, the local people are at the receiving end, having lost their land and precious means of livelihood.
It is an exaggerated story.
can you kindly explain how come this is an exaggerated story? any part of this is not true? due to mountainous terrain even a one square foot of land is precious in GB, especially if its next to a major highway. Unlike other provinces where cultivatable land is abundant. local newspapers and media including the GB council is also silent about this issue. f
No dobut govt is reponsible for compensting effecties. land are the only source of income for peole living in those areas.
Very good reporting by pamir times. the govrenment should take action to give to the families what is legally and rightly their. It is against human rights to use the people’s means of livelihood and not compensate them. specially the people affected by the gojal lake are suffering more because economic activities have come to a halt. There are many villages, away from the KKH, which are not directly affected so for some irrelevant people it is difficult to understand the issues of the affected people.