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.

In a significant development, the caravan of Anjuman Tajran led by Nawaz Khan Naji from Ghakuch , Ghizar and Awami Action Committee Punial joined the ongoing protest at Gilgit Ittehad Chowk. The caravan is one amongst many, coming from across the POGB. These convoys including thousands of people are converging into Gilgit to mark the biggest protest demonstration for their rights. The protest in POGB is taking the shape of a movement as the protest is unprecedented and historically the biggest protest in more than 75 years.

A day earlier, Nawab Khan Naji addressed the crowd during a protest in Ghakuch and emphasized the broader goal beyond wheat prices, stating, “We have to work so that not only wheat but the agricultural lands, mountains, and seas come under our rightful control.” He denounced the Pakistani establishment, alleging, “This is not only a matter of wheat; these mountains have been divided by the Pak Army generals and Chinese businessmen among themselves.”

Nawab Khan Naji criticized the leasing practices in POGB, asserting, “Any lease provided in POGB is either given to retired Pakistan Army generals or Chinese businessmen.” Affirming their commitment to the cause, he declared, “POGB will snatch their mountains from the Pakistan Army and Chinese businessmen.”

Nawab Khan Nazi’s statement falls in line with the Charter of Demands put forward by the Awami Action Committee. The committee has made it clear that they would not succumb to the latest notification and would continue their struggle until all the POGB’s rights are given.

Pakistan occupied Gilgit Baltistan (POGB) seems again to be grappling with uncertainty after the occupying government issued an order to revoke the notification of December 26^th, 2023, which increased the price of wheat from PKR 22 per kg to PKR 36 per kg.  

The uncertainty remains around the wheat price for which the Awami Action Committee was protesting, that is, PKR 7.5 per kg. This price was in force during the starting half of 2022 before starting to increase in a piecemeal way. The uncertainty also surrounds the future course of action of the Awami Action Committee, which, after protesting for one month, made blunt announcement that the protest has entered second phase and would end only, when the 15-point Charter of Demand would be fulfilled. Lastly, the uncertainty also remains surrounding the unity of the protestors, who endured the chilling winters to yield a collective and expansive protest under the aegis of Awami Action Committee.

As far as the wheat subsidy is concerned, the order only nullifies the December 26^th notification, which means that still the demand is only partially met. More concerning is the fact that there is no clear assurance that the subsidy will continue and that there will be no future notification to increase the price again after everything goes normal. Simply put, after one month of historical protests, what POGB is getting is just an all show but no substance.

Nagar ends protest

However, the committee has rejected the latest order, making it clear that Pakistan’s deceptive redressal has no effect on the people. Awami Action Committee has outrightly denied the approval to such an order and reaffirmed to continue the protest with full intensity. One of the leaders of the protest, Baba Jan has termed the new order as a ‘lollipop.’ He said that Pakistan is trying to fool the populace of POGB by an order that almost has no weightage in terms of time scope.

He highlighted the earlier incidents where these tactics of Pakistan to diffuse the protests by these hollow promises had only added to the miseries of people. Apparently, he denied any end to the ongoing protest. But, Pakistan, may have failed to fool people with the order, it has certainly introduced a division in so-far intact protest. Reports suggest that the convoy from Nagar, which was coming to participate in Gilgit, has returned after the order of revocation was issued.  The march was led by Sheikh Mirza Ali, who has announced that the wheat subsidy reinstatement was their prime agenda and since it has been fulfilled, there is no need for marching towards Gilgit and rest of the demands would be put through dialogue and discussion.

While, the other regions and their protestors continue to escalate the protest until charter of demand is fulfilled. Advocate Ehsan Ali, one of the prominent leaders of Awami Action Committee has also confirmed that the protest would go on as planned. So, irrespective of whether Nagar convoy converges to Gilgit or not, the entire protest would only intensify and there remains a less possibility of an end to this protest until all the demands of POGB are met.