Unprecedented Protest

The indigenous people of Gilgit-Baltistan have been protesting for more than a month against the decision to increase the subsidized wheat price and other grievances in the entire region. The strategically located mountainous region has long relied on subsidized wheat from the central government due to limited cultivable land and an unfavorable industrial environment. The wheat subsidy was conferred upon by the then PPP government in 1972 in line with the region being an underprivileged locale and as aid for the impoverished locals of Gilgit-Baltistan.

It's not the first time that the marginalized people have staged their sit-ins in their respective areas. Rather, a significant protest in 2017 highlighted tensions when the federal government sought to cut the subsidy, prompting the GB government to raise prices. The center later reversed the decision, absorbing additional costs in the budget. Presently, a complete shutter-down and wheel-jam outcry was observed for three consecutive days, as protesters from other districts marched to Gilgit city from Hunza,Nagar and Gizer districts. Concurrently, 4G mobile Internet connectivity remained suspended across the region.The protesters are determined to continue the demonstration until their demands are accepted.

The Awami Action Committee (AAC) has triggered the following 15-point charter of demands. These demands encompass restoring the subsidized wheat price to the 2022 level, suspending the Finance Act 2022, withdrawing various taxes, ensuring GB's share in the NFC award, and granting land ownership rights to locals. Additionally, they call for the cancellation of all leases granted to outsiders for mineral exploration, allocating 80% of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam's royalty under net hydel profit to GB residents, ensuring electricity supply, ending the 22-hour power outage, establishing medical and engineering colleges in the region, and restoring traditional routes in GB.

As the current local government is too impotent to address the issues, I strongly urge the federal government to promptly and sincerely address these legitimate demands without any further delay. The protesters have been enduring the blood-freezing weather, staging their protest under the open sky for more than a month. The locals face challenges in their livelihood, and life comes to a standstill. Failure to promptly address such issues may be deemed a blatant violation of human rights by the state