Highlights
- The pursuit of fundamental rights unites the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, despite the region's rugged hills and winding valleys. As the community unites to speak out, a beautiful chorus has risen amid the patchwork of regional and religious divides.
- The continuation of necessary subsidies—especially for wheat, which is deemed indispensable for sustaining socioeconomic resilience in the difficult terrain in which G-B is ensconced.
- Demonstrations from different parts of Gilgit-Baltistan gathered in Gilgit and protests went on throughout Gilgit-Baltistan for over a month; in Skardu alone, there were nonstop protests for more than 32 days.
- The ensuing call for the long march and popular support it enjoyed must have woken up the authorities to the long-term challenge the protest might pose for Pakistan.
- The embers of protest refuse to die. The demands involving royalty from electricity generation courtesy Diamer-Bhasha dam, making electricity available to the people of G-B and share of the people in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will continue to agitate the minds of the people in the region
Settled between the towering arms of Hindukush, the Karakoram and the Western Himalayas, Gilgit-Baltistan narrates its history against a backdrop of wild mountains echoing with the noises of battles and victories spanning millennia. This region, which is intimately linked to the larger Kashmir dispute, has grown into a complex melting pot where geopolitical complexity shapes the lives of its people. The pursuit of fundamental rights unites the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, despite the region's rugged hills and winding valleys. As the community unites to speak out, a beautiful chorus has risen amid the patchwork of regional and religious divides.
The search for justice in the heart of Gilgit-Baltistan is further illuminated by recent rallies and passionate sit-ins that are reminiscent of historical movements. The infectious spirit of rebellion and high energy levels shown by the demonstrators call attention to urgent issues, most notably, the continuation of necessary subsidies—especially for wheat, which is deemed indispensable for sustaining socioeconomic resilience in the difficult terrain in which G-B is ensconced. The call for equitable rights is resonant throughout the valleys, indicating a profound and dynamic societal movement that not only transcends geographical boundaries but also challenges the status quo and demands a revaluation of the region's place within the larger national discourse. The region stands at the intersection of historical legacies and contemporary struggles.
People from Hunza, Nagar, Skardu, Ghizar, and Yasin began a long march into Gilgit in the final week of January 2024. Moreover, demonstrations from different parts of Gilgit-Baltistan gathered in Gilgit and protests went on throughout Gilgit-Baltistan for over a month; in Skardu alone, there were nonstop protests for more than 32 days. On 26 and 27 January, hundreds of thousands of people blocked roads and shuttered businesses across Gilgit-Baltistan in protest. Large-scale protests and rallies were planned in every area to express the concerns of the people in the region as a whole.
Amid demonstrations against rising wheat subsidies and other complaints, a generalized disturbance occurred that resulted in the closure of businesses, markets, shops, and commercial centres in Gilgit, Skardu, Diamer, Ghizer, Astor, Shigar, Ghanche, Kharmang, Hunza, and Nagar, as well as the suspension of traffic. The regular flow of everyday life was severely interrupted. The impact of the strike was felt immediately; fewer people showed up at government and private offices, and fewer students attended schools, mostly because there was no transportation. As a result, the public had difficulties traveling and getting necessities during this turbulent time.
The speakers made a strong declaration that has resonated throughout the past 76 years, expressing their unwavering dedication and steadfast presence. There is a demand gradually taking shape in favour of a sovereign Gilgit-Baltistan where the people can be masters of their own fate. The campaign today emphasising their inalienable rights finds mention in the 15-point demands put out by the Awami Action Committee (ACC) and it is gaining traction, as large-scale demonstrations from all over Gilgit-Baltistan converged in Gilgit city for a momentous demonstration. The ACC exhibited the strength of popular opposition in G-B and the widespread support for their demand for autonomy by announcing a total two-day pause to routine activity and the closure of businesses in all ten districts of Gilgit-Baltistan.
People in Gilgit-Baltistan were not solely seeking reinstatement of the wheat subsidy; their demands extended to full implementation of the 15-point agenda which led to a significant shutter-down and wheel jam strike that effectively paralyzed the entire region. Ehsan Ali Advocate, the head of the Awami Action Committee Gilgit-Baltistan, characterized the ongoing movement as a peaceful grassroots initiative. The movement's paramount objective revolved around the fulfilment of 15 crucial demands, starting with restoration of the wheat subsidy to its previous status and encompassing among other demands, the abolition of Gilgit-Baltistan Finance Act 2023, abolition of Khalsa Sarkar Law, abolition of all leases of Gilgit-Baltistan minerals to non-indigenous persons, 80% royalty to Gilgit-Baltistan in Diamer Bhasha Dam, elimination of daily long hours load shedding in Gilgit-Baltistan, determination of Gilgit-Baltistan's share in CPEC, the establishment of medical and engineering college in Gilgit-Baltistan, besides establishment of Gilgit-Baltistan constituent assembly in place of the current so-called assembly are the top ones, he said that the orders of 2009 and 2018, the formula of presidential order has failed, so the establishment of an independent constituent assembly in this region is the urgent need of the hour to solve the problems of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The ensuing call for the long march and popular support it enjoyed must have woken up the authorities to the long-term challenge the protest might pose for Pakistan. Perhaps this explained why the authorities decided to reach out the AAC, which was steering the movement. In response to the invitation for negotiations extended by the Gilgit-Baltistan government, the AAC embraced the proposal for talks. The robust civic movement, assertively articulating its demands to the government delegation, exerted substantial pressure on the government. As a consequential measure, the government expeditiously suspended the Finance Act of 2023, while concurrently reinstating previous wheat prices. The restoration of the health card, cessation of specialized power lines to improve electricity load-shedding, rehabilitation and reactivation of dormant powerhouses, and the recognition of the rights of residents about uninhabited and barren lands, in alignment with indigenous customs, have been proffered for implementation within a stipulated period of two to three weeks. In light of these developments, the negotiation team of the AAC has judiciously deferred its public protest movement for a duration of three weeks, citing goodwill considerations.
However, the embers of protest refuse to die. The demands involving royalty from electricity generation courtesy Diamer-Bhasha dam, making electricity available to the people of G-B and share of the people in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will continue to agitate the minds of the people in the region, especially because years of denial of their rights, despite clear instructions from the judiciary, has sparked a sense of rebellion among them. Authorities in Pakistan can only ignore their genuine demands at their own peril.
Syed Ahmed Ali Shah is pursuing MS in International Relations at Muslim Youth University, Islamabad. His research focuses on the Strategic relations between Pakistan, China, India, and USA in the 21st century, . He also has his interest in South Asian Studies, Extremism and terrorism, foreign policy of great powers, Jammu Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan studies. He writes in World Geostrategic Insights, Modern Diplomacy, Parliament Times, Daily Country News, and NewsMart.
