Violence in Chilas, 3 Diamir dam affectees shot dead

GBE Watch

Islamabad, February 18: Security forces allegedly opened fire on a group of people affected by the Diamir Dam while they were protesting against the government’s inability to pay compensations to them in Chilas, headquarter of Diamir district. At least three people were killed as a result of the firing while some were reported injured.The enraged protesters pelted NAPWD office with stones and put its furniture and other equipments on fire. A police station was also torched, according to some reports.Work on the dam is scheduled to take place in 2010 but the government has not yet been able to win confidence of the affected people. The local people had been protesting for many days asking the government to pay attention to their demands of rehabilitation and compensation for the loss of property and other means of livelihood caused by the dam, Pamir Times reports.