While Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (POGB) is witnessing one of the biggest and unprecedented protests in its history, people from all walks of life are contributing to the public cause. In the latest development, the Contractors Association initiated protests for its ten-point demands since yesterday [January 23rd]. However, the oppressive regime showed its brutal face by attacking the protestors of the Contractors Association.

After clashes between the protestors and occupying police in Gilgit, the office bearers of the Contractors Association held a press conference at the Gilgit Press Club, expressing grave concerns over the brutal actions. According to their statement, the Contractors Association presented its ten-point demands of utmost importance to the contractors in Gilgit Baltistan. Their plan of action was to hold a short march from the PWD headquarters to the Chief Secretary’s Office. Upon reaching there, they planned to conduct a short sit-in demonstration before concluding the protest. However, as the short march started from the PWD headquarters, the police barricaded the road to stop the protest. As stated in the press conference, the protestors were attempting to hold a peaceful protest but were instead attacked by the police using tear gas and baton charges.

Contractors Association questions Finance Secretary

Later, the protestors returned to headquarters and began a sit-in there. Criticizing the Islamabad-imposed Finance Secretary Aziz Ahmad Jamali, the protestors claimed that he aims to make Gilgit Baltistan the new Balochistan by oppressing the people. They also demanded the suspension of police officials.

The protest by the Contractors Association is sufficient to illustrate the precarious condition of every individual in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan. While the common man is demanding the right to the most basic human necessity – wheat, the working class is demanding their rights to work in a development-oriented environment. Unfortunately, the occupying regime and its puppet government have only engaged in mocking the people’s interests and rights, rather than upholding them.

Shabbir Mayar, the head of Gilgit Baltistan United Movement (GBUM), has announced to take recourse of Plan B. He announced that on January 24^th 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.

In a brazen incident on January 21 at 1:30 p.m, armed individuals forcibly abducted Amir Altaf Shah, a resident of Zulfiqar Abad, Pak-occupied Gilgit in his late 70s, after knocking on his door. The family and neighbors, who were witnesses to the event, saw Shah being coerced into a car and taken away at gunpoint, as detailed in the FIR. Land grab is suspected to be the cause of abduction

Despite 24 hours passing since the abduction, Amir Altaf Shah remains missing. The FIR contains information about the kidnappers, but authorities have yet to locate the elderly man. In response to the kidnapping, outraged neighbors and community members have blocked Zulfiqar Abad Road, demanding the swift recovery of the elderly gentleman and the overall safety of Pak-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan citizens.

Meanwhile, Hasan Ali Shah, the son of the victim, took to Twitter to identify the alleged kidnapper, Naseem, who happens to be the son of DIG retd Wasal Khan from Darel. Hasan revealed, ‘They are demanding land as ransom to release my father.’ This disturbing abduction and its subsequent developments point to malicious actions in the valley, where the land of local Kashmiris is being forcefully taken away.

Abductor mocking law and order machinery

Hasan also shared a screenshot, a social media post by the perpetrator, where he purportedly mocks the legal system and threatens to abduct Hasan’s mother as well. The perpetrator claims that anyone attempting to reclaim their land will face consequences.

Despite 48 hours passing since the abduction and the identification of the alleged perpetrator, no action has been taken, and the victim remains unrecovered.

Notably, a primary concern for native Kashmiris in Pak occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB) has been the encroachment and seizure of their land. Mafias, colluding with the occupying police and administration, persistently encroach upon the lands of Kashmiris, leaving them vulnerable. All of this unfolds at the behest of the Pakistan Army, which seems intent on keeping the region embroiled in existential problems, allowing them to control the area and exploit its resources.

People of Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) are facing the worst type of oppression. Even their small issues are not being addressed to remedy. It once again became apparent while Deputy Commissioner of occupied Poonch Rawalakot held an open court in Thorar to listen to the problems of local Kashmiris.

A local Kashmiri vocally spoke over the issues faced by the people and exposed the persecution by Islamabad imposed administration in POJK. While talking about the problems, one of the individuals stated that their forests have been encroached upon by the mafias, the burial grounds are being captured and partitioned into plots for residential blocs. To the worse, the occupying police has failed miserably in dealing with the theft cases. He said that no theft case has been solved by the police in Thorar, while there have been multiple cases with the amount as huge as Rs. 8 lakhs.

Moreover, he also raised a question on the unavailability of doctors in Thorar. He stated that despite being the sub-district headquarters, no doctor has been posted in Thorar. For quite some time, they have been demanding a doctor, but their demands are still not met. There are thousands of people living in Thorar who trusted the administration and that the administration should be ashamed of the fact that they have failed to fulfil the aspirations of the people.

No doctor, power cuts, indiscriminate tax

Taking on the DC, he said that he should be ashamed that he is using vehicles worth crores in the name of protocol while the common women and girls are forced to walk barefooted. Meanwhile, the other Kashmiris present chanted “shame! shame!”

The individual exposed the DC by saying that the DC should have come there after having posted a doctor for 24 hours service. He outrightly denied the payment of electricity bills saying that whether they provide electricity or not, no Kashmiri will pay the electricity bills.

Citing the occupying government’s tax as “gunda tax” (goon’s tax) he, on behalf of Kashmiris said that their ancestors have sacrificed their lives for Kashmir and they would never pay this “gunda tax” and warned that if the electricity supply would be cut off in the name of load shedding, the Neelam-Jhelum transmission line would pass through their dead bodies.

Exposing Pakistan’s policies of governing from above and wrong propaganda of so-called Azad Kashmir, the vocal Kashmiri man asked the DC about why an officer is always sent from Pakistan while the region also has educated and capable youth. He stated that Kashmiris don’t consider the police as theirs.

He also lambasted DC for his earlier statement that POJK is filled with terrorists. The individual claimed that Pak occupied Jammu and Kashmir is filled with people demanding their rights, who are persecuted not the terrorists. He stated that Kashmiris has the first right on the resources of the region and asked how is it sane to call the ones fighting for their rights as terrorists.

Kashmiri accepting reality

Notably, Pakistan has always tried to set a narrative that the part of Kashmir under their illegal occupation is free and is on the path of prosperity, however the fearless and righteous voice in front of a Deputy Commissioner in Pak occupied Jammu and Kashmir conspicuously defied Pakistan’s propaganda. While the people of POJK have now accepted the reality, it is only the international organisations that needs to see this reality and come out of the Pakistani policy of fake PR.

The police in Jammu is on high alert after the report of a vehicle being overpowered by three suspects who entered Jammu region.

Reportedly, the incident was reported on January 20, when the driver started his journey from a taxi stand in Anantnag to Srinagar. At the Arwani underpass on National Highway 44, three individuals boarded the car. Afterwards, the intended destination changed from Pantha Chowk to Summer Bugh Lasjan, only to eventually shift again to Tangan Bypass near Pampore.

At Tangan Bypass, all the three passengers overpowered the vehicle after the driver denied their request to move towards Jammu. The driver reported the incident to the police which in turn took no time to register a case at Nowgam Police station. Afte an hour later of passengers taking control of the car, they crossed Kaichachkoot toll plaza on the way to Srinagar.

However, the media reports based on the information from senior J&K police official state that the vehicle crossed Nashri Tunnel near Udhampur at midnight of the same day and has been untraceable since then. While the authorities are taking efforts to locate the vehicle, a high alert has been issued in the Jammu region.

Although, J&K is already on high alert considering the upcoming Republic Day, the vehicle going missing with no background of suspects has added to the alertness.