Thousands gather in Gilgit-Baltistan to protest Pakistan's exploitative political agenda

Almost two months after students and locals in Gilgit-Baltistan took to the streets against the Pakistan government, the protestors again gathered to oppose Islamabad's policies. Those who have attended the movement include the political party Awami Action Committee and rights activists who bolstered their voice against the ruling government.

The protestors called the policies framed by Islamabad as intrusive, exploitative and discriminatory for them. The protestors also opposed Islamabad's persuasive efforts at extending its political administration over the illegally occupied region. The locals living in the disputed area believed that the policies framed in the name of empowering the region are diabolic in nature.

According to the locals, the policies framed by Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government alter the demographics of the region and systematically secure the ownership of the land that is possessed by locals. It is worth mentioning that Islamabad has recently granted non-natives to gain lease-based control of the hotels and lands in the region.

According to the locals, they would never let such anti-native policies get implemented in the region. They alleged that the residents of Gilgit-Blistan were not consulted while drafting such policies. 

Islamabad stepped up its exploitative agenda to further exploit locals

President of Awami Action Committee, Gilgit-Baltistan, Fida Hussain said,

"They never take us into confidence when decisions regarding our region are taken. They don't ask us if the decisions taken by them are even acceptable to us. The issue is regarding mining in our region, minerals of our region and about the lease of our lands. They take things from us and give them to other provinces. This has also led to a sharp rise in unemployment in the region."

Notably, Gilgit-Baltistan is a region administered by Pakistan as an administrative territory and constitutes the northern portion of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947. Since it is illegally captured the area, Pakistan has been looting it of its resources for over the last seven decades. After India abrogated the controversial Article 370 in August 2019, Islamabad stepped up its exploitative agenda to further exploit the region. 

Imran Khan unleashed his political agenda by introducing a barrage of policies

At first, it unilaterally decided to accord Gilgit Baltistan the status of a provisional Pakistani province and then unleashed its political agenda by introducing a barrage of policies that are principally aimed at taking away even the bare minimum possessions people are left with.

"What we know is that the resources of Gilgit Baltistan are exploited and distributed among the upper echelons. And all this drama has been scripted to secure the control of the lease of the PTDC (Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation) hotels in the region. We, the Awami Action Committee have rejected such drafts and packages being given to us at the pretext of provisional provincial status. And we will continue our struggle till we thwart it," said Maulana Sultan Raees Former President, Awami Action Committee, Gilgit-Baltistan.

With inputs from ANI

Image: ANI