People in Pak-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan have been protesting for months now. All political, religious and social organisations are demonstrating against the government's decision to increase the wheat price and end subsidies.
It was reported that people continued to protest against the increase in the price of wheat at Yadgar Chowk and a large rally was also held at Jamia Masjid Skardu on Friday, bracing severe cold conditions in Skardu.
All the political, religious, social and nationalist parties and traders' organisations gathered at Yadgar Chowk and protested against the government's decision to increase the price of wheat and end the subsidy.
Former provincial Forest Minister and senior Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Imran Wakil accused the Gilgit Baltistan gobvernment in the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) of being involved in corruption on a large scale, Pakistan vernacular media Daily K2 reported.
The committee declared the decisions anti-people and said that the announcement of giving 7 kg of wheat per person is like throwing dust in the eyes of the people. Despite the increase in the price of wheat last year, neither was provided to the people.
The mountainous region of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan faces intense cold during the winter. People struggle with scarce resources and face many obstacles in their daily work lives in the chilly weather.
In response to the increase in wheat prices, the Awami Action Committee and the All-Party Alliance started region-wide protests in Pakistan-Occupied Gilgit-Baltistan on December 21.
Khalid Khursheed, the former Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK) has been disqualified for life from heading the party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) GB chapter, ARY News reported.
The Awami Action Committee in Gilgit Baltistan held a meeting of the core committee and advisory committee at a local hotel in which the action plan was decided to protest against the increase in wheat prices, Pak vernacular media reported.
The Head of Coordination Committee of Islami Tehreek Pakistan (ITP) Sheikh Mirza Ali and other leaders have said that the facilities that were given to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan are being gradually removed, DailyK2 reported.
Member of Opposition of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly and former provincial finance minister Javed Ali Manwa has said bad governance in Pakistan has reached its peak and the government has failed to solve the public's problems, which is provoking the people, DailyK2 reported.
The students of Karakoram International University in the Gilgit-Baltistan region are staging a protest against fee hikes and administrative mismanagement. Students can be seen chanting slogans in support of their demands while boycotting classes.