DIAMER / GILGIT — Thousands of stranded passengers and tourists breathed a sigh of relief on Tuesday morning as protesters in the Thore area of Diamer called off their sit-in and reopened the Karakoram Highway (KKH). The breakthrough came after a night of intense negotiations between the district administration and the Diamer-Bhasha Dam land-affected people, who had blocked the vital artery since Sunday.
Protesters called off their sit-in blocking the Karakoram Highway in the Thore area of Diamer on Tuesday morning and reopened the highway for traffic after successful negotiations with the district administration.https://t.co/ZGkbRYplMc
— Jamil Nagri (@jamilnagri) April 7, 2026
Key Highlights
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Traffic Restored: Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying patients and tourists, resumed their journeys after being stuck for over 48 hours.
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The Agreement: Protesters reached a consensus with the government on a specific timeframe for the implementation of the 2025 Dam-Affected Persons Agreement.
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31-Point Charter: Demands include an 80% royalty from the Diamer-Bhasha Dam for Gilgit-Baltistan, free electricity for Diamer, and compensation for 18,000 acres of acquired land.
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WAPDA’s Stance: The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to the 2025 pact, citing progress on local employment, scholarships, and infrastructure projects.
The Negotiation Breakthrough
Maulana Hazratullah, the chief organizer of the protest, confirmed that the sit-in at Thore and the secondary blockade near Chilas’s Masjid Aqsa were dismantled after a “final successful round” of talks early Tuesday. The district administration and the GB caretaker government have reportedly provided a roadmap to address the 31-point charter of demands.
“We have reached an agreement on the implementation timeline,” Maulana Hazratullah stated. “We hope the state will now honor the commitments made in 2025 to the people who sacrificed their land for this national project.”
WAPDA: Progress Amidst Challenges
A spokesperson for the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) issued a statement emphasizing that the authority is following an “integrated strategy” for the socio-economic uplift of the local population.
Current WAPDA Initiatives:
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Education: Establishing schools, colleges, and awarding scholarships for higher education.
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Employment: Prioritizing local youth for project roles and regularizing contract workers.
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Infrastructure: Ongoing projects in healthcare, water supply, and sewerage systems.
WAPDA Chairman retired Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed has already convened a high-level committee to resolve the legitimate grievances of the locals. However, the spokesperson warned that such disruptions could lead to cost overruns and delays for a project of critical national importance.
WAPDA allocates Rs.94.23 million to fund 75 girls schools for promoting education in Diamer Basha Dam Project area; another Rs.29.5 million also approved for uplift of 5 schools in Tangir, Darel and provision of 2 coasters pic.twitter.com/lWfdh6NGrI
— WAPDA (@wapda_pr) March 24, 2026
A Delicate Balance for GB
GB Caretaker Information Minister Ghulam Abbas noted that while the dispute is primarily between WAPDA and the locals, the caretaker government is actively mediating to protect the rights of the affected families. He appealed to the public to avoid blocking the KKH in the future, citing the severe impact on the regional economy and the burgeoning tourism sector.
The reopening of the KKH comes at a critical time, as the region prepares for the spring tourism surge and the government manages the logistical pressures of the US-Iran conflict and the resulting fuel price hikes to Rs458.
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