Protestors: Equal development is our right

BAMIYAN CITY (SW): Thousands of residents in central province Bamyan took to the streets on Friday to protest the alleged change of route for the 500kV power transmission project Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TUTAP).

They said that the government’s decision over changing the route of the project is a political move and asked the government to respect the citizens’ rights.

The protestors urged upon the government to make sure this transmission line passes through central Bamiyan and Madan Wardak provinces instead of diverting it to the mountainous Salang Pass route.

Arefa Akbari, one of the protestors, told Salam Watandar that the government has intentionally changed the route of the transmission line despite knowing that it could endanger the lives of residents in the area.

She said that the government seeks to deprive central provinces of development and that there is no justification for changing the route of the power transmission.

Sadeq Aliyar, another protestor, said that the central provinces have not benefited from any big national development program and changing the route of TUTAP is yet another example.

The protestors warned that if the government didn’t reconsider its decision, citizens in the central provinces would expel all their representatives from the government’s offices.

Despite growing protests, the government insists on the cabinet’s decision over changing the route of the transmission line.

Officials at the De Afghanistan Breshna Shirkat (DABS) told journalists a few days ago that the cabinet decision would be implemented but the central provinces in the country would be the first to benefit from TUTAP.

ENDS