GILGIT: A shutter-down strike was observed in various parts of Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday against a new taxation law passed by the legislative assembly.

The protesters have claimed that the “Gilgit-Baltistan Revenue Auth­ority Bill 2022” has imposed new taxes on 135 items.

The bill was passed by the assembly for the first time in August 2022. However, GB Governor Syed Mehdi Shah in September had refused to sign the bill and returned it to the assembly for review. The bill was again tabled in the assembly and was recently passed for the second time, effectively turning it into a law.

On the call of GB traders body and hotel association, shops in Hunza, Nagar, Ghizer, Diamer, Astore, Shigar, Ghanche and Kharmang districts remained closed while the traffic on roads was also minimal. Demonstrations were also held in the Nasirabad area of Hunza where locals took out a rally on Karakoram Highway. The protesters were holding placards and chanted slogans against the new taxes.

Talking to reporters, GB’s central traders’ body Pre­sident Masoodur Reh­man said the protest was against the imposition of new taxes on the people of GB.

“The imposition of taxes on 135 items will affect the poor people,” he said, adding that the traders were already suffering losses due to prolonged electricity shortage in the region.

He said the federal government was trying to impose the taxes under various names without granting constitutional rights to the people of GB.

Without adequate representation of GB people in the parliament, no taxes will be accepted, Mr Rehman said.

“This is a token protest, if the government doesn’t reverse the bill, the next course of action will be more aggressive,” he warned.

He criticised the region’s lawmakers for passing the bill and claimed that they have passed the bill for their own salaries and privileges.

The traders, transporters, hoteliers, contractors, civil society members and political leaders were unanimous in their demand to abolish the taxes.

Muhammad Bilal from GB contractors association said they have always resisted any move to impose taxes on GB people without representation in the parliament.

He also said without representation in the parliament and constitutional rights, the imposition of taxes was illegal. Any decisions of the GB and federal governments in this regard will not be accepted and the people are united in opposing illegal taxes, he said.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2022