Shabbir Mayar, the head of Gilgit Baltistan United Movement (GBUM), has announced to take recourse of Plan B. He announced that on January 24th there will be a protest on the Kargil Highway in Kharmang Khas. The protest will start from 8 a.m. in the morning and would conclude at 4 p.m. in the evening. Mayar elucidated that the people from across Madhupur to Palpaldo will join the protest in Kharmang Khas Union.
Accordingly, he urged the transporters and truck drivers to shut down the movement for the aforesaid period. Furthermore, he extended invitations to religious and social leaders to join the protest. Shabbir Mayar outlined that the future course of action would be decided after tomorrow’s protest at Kargil Highway.
Meanwhile, the Awami Action Committee in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (POGB) has also called for a complete shutdown protest on the upcoming January 26 and 27 against the abolition of wheat subsidy and health cards.
It is worth noting that people across POGB are consistently protesting for 28 days following sporadic protests and shutdowns. They are demanding to restore the wheat subsidy abolition of which has burdened them with an extra Rs. 28.50 per kg. Along with that the health cards have also been abolished and an atrocious Finance Act 2023 has been imposed to appropriate indiscriminate tax from the people.
Despite strong protests involving women and children in chilling winters, Islamabad controlled occupying government in POGB has refrained from taking any constructive action. On the contrary it resorted to coercive measure to curb the protests. The protest which started on December 26 is nearing the completion of a month and hence the Awami Action Committee is preparing for Plan B which, obviously, is going to be fiercer.