Shedding the clouds of uncertainty over their stand, the Coordination Committee of occupied-Baltistan has made it apparent that they are unwavering in their commitment to stand with the demands of the united Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB), as put forward by the Awami Action Committee in the form of a charter of demands.

On January 31, the All Part Coordination Committee of Baltistan held a meeting under Agha Ali Rizvi and Ghulam Hussain Azhar. After the meeting, a decision was reached, and an announcement was made. In a letter issued by the All Part Coordination Committee, it was stated that the committee fully endorses and extends support to the ongoing protest. It also mentioned that as soon as Shahrah-e-Baltistan (Jaglot to Skardu road) would be cleared, the caravan will reach and join the Ittehad Chowk Dharna.

Notably, after the occupying government revoked the notification of December 26, which abolished the subsidy, Agha Ali Rizvi stated that the main demand for protest was the wheat subsidy and since it was reinstated, they would now move towards solving other issues through dialogue. This created apprehensions for the further course of action of POGB protest. Additionally, the convoy of Nagar also returned following the occupying government. And hence, the statement of coordination committee of Baltistan is significant and has come as a positive response to the ongoing struggle.

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, a sixty-year-old man participating in the sit-in at Etihad Chowk in Gilgit, Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB), has lost his life while protesting for the wheat subsidy and other demands. Hailing from the Yasin district, the elderly man joined the Etihad Chowk sit-in four days ago, braving the bone-chilling winter conditions.

The unfortunate incident occurred when the protester, dedicated to the cause, succumbed to a cardiac arrest, shedding light on the arduous circumstances faced by those advocating for their rights in the region.

The incident adds poignancy to the arguments put forth by the people of POGB, asserting that they are under the rule of a colonial regime. Amidst freezing temperatures, hundreds of thousands of people across POGB continue their protests, demanding their basic rights. However, the occupying government seems to downplay the gravity of the situation, anticipating that the protests will naturally dissipate.

The sacrifice of individual protestors, like the elderly man, not only deepens the sorrow within the community but also fuels anger and determination among the protestors. Such sacrifices serve to intensify the resolve of the people, making them more resolute and aggressive in their pursuit of justice and rights, vowing to persist until their aspirations are fulfilled.

As the news of the elderly protester’s demise reverberates through the region, it becomes a poignant symbol of the ongoing struggle for basic rights in Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan, marking a solemn moment in the fight against perceived injustice and neglect by the occupying authorities.

In the picturesque region of Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB), the political landscape is charged with tension as protests spearheaded by the Awami Action Committee show no signs of abating. The occupying government has initiated a deceptive response, in the form of a 6-member committee, to engage with various stakeholders and find a comprehensive solution to the burgeoning public discontent.

Objectives of the Committee

The newly formed committee, is tasked with engaging representatives from political, religious, social, and business communities across the region. The primary goals include seeking input and workable options on the issues and demands raised by the protestors. Regular sessions and meetings will be conducted to analyse and deliberate on emerging public issues with the aim of finding amicable and urgent solutions.

Moreover, the committee is mandated to underscore resolvable public issues, collaboratively decide on a work plan within the existing legal framework and financial constraints of the occupying government. But interestingly, this is the only bone of contention as protestors have realised that existing legal framework is there to exploit the POGB and hence any negotiation under the existing framework would eventually lead to nothing but dissent. As stated by Awami Action Committee leader Ehsan Advocate recently, the main problem is the imposition of assembly through the colonial order. Accordingly, the only intention of the Pakistani establishment to impose the Assembly was to continue the exploitation of the region, which they always did, without being answerable to the people of POGB directly. The whole intention was to keep the struggle and fight of the people up to themselves.

Clash of Agendas: Protestors Demand Autonomy

While the committee’s formation might look as a step towards addressing public concerns, the protestors affiliated with the Awami Action Committee, being aware of the consequences of such committees, remain resolute in their demands for autonomy. The occupying government’s formation of the committee is a deceptive effort to somehow deflate the protest. And hence, their Charter of Demands, consisting of 15 points, calls for the detachment of Pakistan from significant stakes in Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB).

Furthermore, the protestors had firmly asserted that without the fulfilment of their 15-point Charter of Demands, they will not disband and will continue the protest. And at the core of their demands is the call for autonomy, a proposition that challenges the very political status of POGB which led to its subjugation at the hands of the regime in Islamabad.