On 26th January (Friday), everything came to a standstill in the Pakistan-occupied territories of Gilgit-Baltistan after the residents marked a complete shutter-down and wheel-jam strike across the region, as reported by Pakistani outlet Dawn. Notably, the residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s (PoK) Gilgit-Baltistan have been demonstrating and staging protests against the hike in the subsidised wheat price in all districts as well as massive power outages in the region.
As per the Dawn report, traffic movement remained suspended. Shops, markets, restaurants, and trade centres were closed in various areas of Gilgit, Skardu, Diamer, Ghizer, Astore, Shighar, Ghanche, Kharmang, Hunza, and Nagar. On account of the transport halt, attendance in private and government offices and educational institutions remained low.
The call for a widespread strike was given by the Awami Action Committee (AAC) in consultation with the associations representing traders, transporters, and hotel owners, Dawn added. As per reports, the call for a strike was given after negotiations between an AAC delegation and the government to end the protest failed to produce any positive outcome.
The protestors have pledged to stage demonstrations until the government withdrew its decision to increase subsidised wheat prices. However, it is important to note that the strikes are the latest phase of the protest that has been going on for the last month against the Gilgit-Baltistan government’s decision to raise the subsidised wheat prices.
Taking to X, a researcher at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS), Pakistan, Maryam S Khan stated that the largest telecom operator of PoK, Special Communications Organisation, has blocked internet services in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Khan also retweeted a post that read, “As protests grow stronger over wheat subsidy issue, SCOM @hq_sco has blocked internet services in Gilgit-Baltistan.”
Another X user shared a video of Senator Farhatullah Babar in which he stressed that Gilgit-Baltistan is the only region of Pakistan where people do not own their lands.
He said, “Gilgit-Baltistan is the only region of Pakistan where people do not own their lands, Pakistan does not implement the 18th amendment in GB because after that people will become the owners of their own lands. This is an area being denied.”
The AAC chief organiser Ehsan Ali alleged that GB residents had been deprived of their basic rights for the past seven decades. Ali said, “Currently, the GB people have been facing 22 hours of electricity outages, despite spending billions of rupees annually from public funds.”
Earlier, a team comprised of several government officials met with the protestors. The officials had met them on the orders of the Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister requesting the protestors to call off their protest. They had assured them that their demand would be met. However, the protestors pledged not to call off their protest until the decision to increase the price of subsided wheat was revoked.
Later, while addressing protesters in Gilgit, the ACC chief organiser announced ‘plan B’ of the movement. He called for a shutter-down and wheel-jam strike across the region on Friday. Meanwhile, marches from various areas of the region towards Gilgit and Skardu began today on Saturday (27th January).
Further, as per reports, the residents of Diamer, Astore, Hunza, Nagar, and Ghizer will march towards Gilgit. Protesters from Shigar, Kharmang, and Ghanche will march towards Skardu. The demonstrators have further warned that if their demands were not fulfilled, they would block the Karakoram Highway.
صدر مملکت ڈاکٹر عارف علوی سے گورنر گلگت -بلتستان سید مہدی شاہ کی ملاقات
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) January 26, 2024
ملاقات میں گلگت-بلتستان کی مجموعی صورتحال ، گندم سبسڈی ، بلتستان یونیورسٹی، سکردو کے مسائل پر بات کی گئی
گلگت-بلتستان میں گندم سبسڈی کے معاملے پر نگران وزیراعظم اور وزیرِ خزانہ سے بات کی، صدر مملکت pic.twitter.com/WAHe3qtST1
When the calls for a strike intensified, Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Syed Mehdi Shah met Pakistani President Dr Arif Alvi in Islamabad on Friday. The duo discussed the overall situation in the region, including wheat subsidy and power outages among other issues.
According to a statement issued by the office of the Pakistani President, he told the governor that he had raised the issue with the caretaker Prime minister, and finance minister and hoped that it would be resolved soon.
