Muzaffarabad: Residents of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) continue to endure severe power shortages and extended load-shedding, despite hosting the multi-billion-rupee Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project. Once hailed as a beacon of progress and prosperity, the project has now become a glaring example of corruption, mismanagement, and neglect.
Sardar Abdul Razaq Khan, former Chairman of the Muzaffarabad Traders Association, voiced deep frustration over the crisis.
“A few years ago, the Neelum-Jhelum Project was launched here, but it has now been shut down due to technical failures,” he said. “The project was designed to generate 960 megawatts of electricity—a goal that was achieved—but frequent closures have plagued it. One of the main problems lies in its flawed design. For instance, as per the NOC conditions, treatment plants and water bodies were to be built in Muzaffarabad city, but that never happened. Additionally, the project’s cost ballooned five to ten times beyond its original estimate due to rampant corruption. It has already been closed twice, inflicting heavy financial losses on WAPDA and the Government of Pakistan.”
Residents of PoJK have repeatedly called for a transparent probe into the project’s technical and financial irregularities and demanded a lasting solution to the crippling power outages disrupting life in Muzaffarabad and adjoining areas.
Emphasizing the need for accountability, Sardar Abdul Razaq Khan added, “Our electricity requirement is around 400 to 450 megawatts. The project’s flaws must be fixed, and a federal-level inquiry committee should be constituted to expose and punish those involved in corruption. Those who violated NOC conditions, especially by failing to build treatment plants and water bodies, must also be held accountable.”
The people of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir continue to demand justice, transparency, and an end to Pakistan’s exploitation of their land and natural resources. What was meant to usher in development has instead left them in darkness—both literally and figuratively.
