By: Asif Awan
Abbottabad Former Nazim of Union Council Baron Gali Sardar Hakmadaad has said that the people of Galiat should be provided with free electricity and gas facilities in exchange for water royalty. All the water of Galiat was given to some of the cantonments of Murree, Pindi and Abbottabad 120 years ago and the rest was given to Abbottabad from Namli Mira and Jhafar Baron Gali about 25 years ago. Now an 18-inch pipeline is being given to Abbottabad from Jinder Bari. Now we have water shortage in our villages. Free electricity and gas should be given to Galiat. Talking to the media, he said that it has been more than 120 years since water was given to Murree, Pindi and Abbottabad cantonments from Donga Gali and Kala Pani. Similarly, about 25 years ago, about 18 inches of water line was given to Abbottabad cantonment from Namli Mira. Similarly, in the year 1995, a line was given from Jhafar village to Union Council Dahmtor and its villages. The second line was given from Jhafar to Union Council Kothwal villages Bandi Mansoor, Gali Banian and Astan Alia Dehra Tori Sharif etc. Now there is a severe shortage of water in the villages of Upper Jhafar and Lower Jhafar of the entire Union Council Baran Gali. Now an 18-inch diameter pipe is being supplied from Jinder Bari. The local people used to run windmills and did farming on this water and now they are helpless. These people should be provided with free electricity and gas just as the late President General Zia-ul-Haq had provided free electricity and gas to the people of Khyber district and other districts and it is still being done. Our people have a right. The people from Upper Barian to Thai Dahmtor should be provided with free electricity and gas. This is their right. Therefore, the people of the area request the federal government and the provincial government that just as the people of Khyber and other districts were given free electricity and gas about 40 years ago, the people of Galiyat area should also be given free gas and electricity, an example of which is the example of the free electricity and gas given to the people of other areas 40 years ago. It is requested that these legitimate demands of the people of the area be recognized and they be given free gas and electricity.
