Gilgit-Baltistan residents protesting against the rise in wheat prices

Gilgit-Baltistan residents protesting

Gilgit-Baltistan residents protesting against the rise in wheat prices

Life has come to a standstill in Gilgit-Baltistan as its residents are protesting against a hike in subsidized wheat prices. Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Syed Mehdi Shah met with President Arif Alvi to talk about the rise in the price of subsidized wheat in the region.

It came after residents of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) threatened the government they would be protesting a massive march towards Gilgit and Skardu against hiked wheat prices today, Jan 27, 2024.

In response to the governor’s call, President Alvi told Syed Mehdi he discussed the matter with the acting prime minister and finance minister. Alvi hoped that the problem would be fixed quickly. Pakistani Presidential office released this statement.

The chosen members of the G-B council also asked the president to talk about the issue of the subsidized rise in wheat rate. Hence, the president told them he would bring the issue to the relevant authorities.

The protest has been ongoing for four weeks at different places following a hike in subsidized prices of wheat. The G-B protestors said they would hold protests until the government changed its mind about raising the subsidized wheat prices.

However, people in G-B went on a shutdown and wheel-jam strike following the Awami Action Committee’s (AAC) call.

Click here to read the updates on Baloch protest in Korangi against state action on Baloch marchers

The head organizer of the AAC, Ehsan Ali, said that people in Gilgit-Baltistan have not had their fundamental rights for the past seven decades.

The people of G-B have been facing electricity disruptions for 22 hours consecutively. Even though the government spends billions of rupees from public funds every year on electricity distribution networks.

Following this protest, people from Ghizer, Diamer, Astore, Hunza, and Nagar marched to Gilgit. However, people from Shigar, Kharmang, and Ghanche marched to Skardu to protest.

However, Garibagh in Gilgit and Yadgar-i-Shuhada in Skardu are major protest sites. Thousands of people gathered there to register a protest. It is emerging as a massive protest movement across the region of Gilgit-Baltistan.

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