Islamabad witnessed a fervent protest on Saturday, December 2, as the Awami Workers Party of Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB) and students gathered outside the Islamabad Press Club. The demonstration aimed to denounce the cessation of the wheat subsidy and the encroachment of resources in the region. The call for action was echoed by the Gilgit-Baltistan Social Society and students, urging collective participation.
The protest shed light on persisting injustices and oppression in POGB under Pakistan’s occupation. These acts, for instance, range from the forceful acquisition of public lands to the seizure of regional resources, depriving locals of subsidies, a move deemed in violation of international laws.
Amidst this, the Awami Workers Party and the Awami Action Committee have been vocal about these crucial public issues, despite the occupant government’s aversion to their discourse.Discussing public concerns and asserting rights in the occupied region of Gilgit-Baltistan has long been considered a punishable offense, instilling fear in those raising their voices.
The public outcry vehemently asserts that the subsidy rightfully belongs to the local population, emphasizing it as a fundamental entitlement rather than a benevolent gesture from the Pakistani state. Concerns loom over the potential repercussions of terminating the subsidy, raising alarms about the grave consequences it might entail.