Minapin Valley Residents Demand Faster Development and Fair Compensation

The people living in Minapin Valley, located in the Nagar district of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB), are asking the authorities to restart and speed up local development projects. They have warned that they will protest if their demands are not met.

The residents want the construction to focus on their homes first, not the outskirts. They are also unhappy with the small payments given to those who sold their land for these projects.

Local village head, Iqbal, shared his concerns, saying, “We tried everything to get our village redeveloped. After many struggles, the administration agreed, and our landowners sold their lands for very little money. Many shops were destroyed, trees cut, and businesses moved. But now, the development work has stopped for over two months, and no one is responding to our requests.”

Iqbal added that the slow compensation process is making things worse. He mentioned that money for other major projects like the Ghaizer Expressway and Navtar Expressway was given to the authorities long ago, but the work is still not finished. This delay is causing financial and travel problems for locals, especially since they rely on tourism during the winter season.

Iqbal expressed his worries about the tourism sector, saying, “Our hotels are empty because tourists can’t reach our village. We urge the administration to act fast and keep their promises. We have suffered a lot, and we will protest if our demands are not met.”