GILGIT: The protests against a increase in the subsidised wheat rate and other grievances in Gilgit-Baltistan are set to enter the ‘next phase’ after talks between protesters and the government ended in a deadlock.

The Awami Action Committee (ACC) leaders have called for a complete shutdown and wheel-jam strike across the region on Friday (today).

The call was issued after talks between the AAC delegation and the government to end the protest failed to yield any result.

On the directives of the GB chief minister, a government delegation comprising GB Home Minister Shams Lone, assembly member Fatehullah Khan and Sheikh Nasir Zamani, Gilgit Division Commissioner Kamal Qamar, Gilgit Region DIG Raja Mirza Hasan, Nagar Deputy Commissioner Waqas Johar and Nagar SP Ziaullah, met with the representatives of Hussainia Supreme Council, according to a press release issued by the Nagar DC.

The official assured the protesters that their demands would be addressed and requested that the protest be called off.

Rallies from across the region to arrive in Gilgit, Skardu over the weekend

However, the protest leaders demanded the withdrawal of the decision to increase wheat subsidies before calling off their protest.

Following the deadlocks, the ACC chief organiser, while addressing protesters in Gilgit, announced “plan B” of the protest.

He called for a complete shutter-down and wheel-jam strike today while marches from various areas of the region towards Gilgit and Skardu will begin on Saturday.

Protesters from Diamer, Astore, Hunza, Nagar, and Ghizer will march towards Gilgit, while those from Shigar, Kharmang, and Ghanche districts will move towards Skardu.

A separate rally, which started from Nagar on Wednesday, is heading towards Gilgit. On Thursday, the protesters staged a sit-in in Harspodas, the district headquarters of Nagar, and blocked the Karakoram Highway.

The sit-in at the Yadgar-i-Shuhda in Gilgit also continued for the 30th consecutive day on Thursday, while similar protests in Garibagh, Yasin and Siachen areas of Gilgit, Ghizer and Ghanche districts also continued.

The demonstrators have lamented that they are out in the open during sub-zero temperatures, but the government was reluctant to meet their demands.

They have been demanding the reversion of the subsidised wheat price to the 2022 level, suspension of the Finance Act, 2023, withdrawal of various taxes, addressing electricity crisis, ensuring GB’s share in the NFC award, and provision of land ownership rights to locals.

They have also demanded 80 per cent royalty for GB under the Diamer-Bhasha Dam net hydel profit, industry status for hotel, transportation, and tourism sectors, establishing medical and engineering colleges and a women’s university in GB, and restoring traditional routes.

Opposition members meet GB CM

In a separate development, GB opposition leader Kazim Mesum and other opposition members met the chief minister, Haji Gulber Khan.

The opposition leader conveyed the protesters’ demands to the chief minister and urged him to start negotiations with them. Mr Mesum and other opposition members have been supporting the protesters and announced solidarity with them.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2024