GILGIT: Life in Gilgit-Baltistan remained paralysed for a second consecutive day as protests grew against the hike in wheat prices and other grievances on Saturday.

Demonstrations were staged in various districts of the region including Astore, Diamer, Ghizer, Hunza, Nagar, Skardu, Shigar, Kharmang and Ghanche districts.

Main roads including Karakoram Highway, Skardu Road, Ghizer Road wore deserted look as protests were staged on various sections of these roads.

People faced challenges to purchase daily commodities and travel to their destinations.

Organisers say the only way to call off strike is acceptance of 15 demands by govt

The Awami Action Committee (ACC) had given the protest call as part of Plan B under the protest movement that had been underway for past one month.

Hundreds of people on motorbikes took out rallies from Hunza district and Ghizer district to reach Gilgit before joining the central protest demonstration at Ittehad Chowk. The rally participants were accorded a warm welcome by locals at various points along the route.

Protest rallies will move towards Gilgit from Nagar, Astore and Diamer districts (today) on Sunday. Likewise, rallies took place from various areas of Skardu and travelled to join main Protest venue Yadgar-i-Shuhada Skardu where 32th day daily protest sit-in continued on Saturday.

According to experts it was successful strike and protest in history of GB as thousands people participated in protest rallies. Routine life in Gilgit-Baltistan remained paralyse across the region in two days.

The protesters said they would call off the strike after the authorities meet their 15 demands, including the restoration of subsidised wheat rate at 2022 level, suspension of Finance Act 2022, withdrawal of various taxes, ensuring GB’s share in the NFC Award, and provision of land ownership rights to locals.

The charter of demands said all leases granted to the outsiders for the exploration of minerals should be cancelled, 80 per cent royalty of Diamer-Bhasha Dam under net hydel profit should be given to GB people, ensure electricity supply to GB residents ending power outages, establishing medical and engineering and colleges in the region.

Addressing crowd at Etihad chowk, Advocate Ehsan Ali, the ACC chief organiser, said it was decided to call off the protest after fulfillment of 15-point charter of demands. “GB has been getting subsidies on 10 items since 1970s, they were removed one by one, now the only subsidy on wheat for GB people was also being removed, it is injustice,” he said. He said it was a universal principle that people who had no constitutional rights and facilities, state provide subsidies to the residents and cannot impose taxes.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2024