Traders in Kohat Cantonment, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, took to the streets in a fervent rally, condemning a staggering 400% rent increase imposed by the Kohat Cantonment Board. The dramatic rent hike has led to the sealing of numerous stores, with traders saying that the board is leveraging its authority to inflict financial hardship and exploit local businesses.

The protest, organized by Mansoor Bagh, president of the cantonment traders’ association, highlighted the dire economic conditions facing the merchants. Bagh criticized the Kohat Cantonment Board for exacerbating their struggles through exorbitant rent increases at a time when traders are already burdened by soaring inflation, inflated electricity bills, and oppressive taxation. He further said that the board is engaged in its own business operations, which adds to the economic strain on local shopkeepers. “Despite paying PKR 40,000 to 60,000 in rent, shopkeepers are being harassed and their stores sealed arbitrarily,” Bagh said.

Shiraz Paracha, another leader of the protest, described the rent hike as an economic catastrophe. He said that efforts to negotiate a reduction with the cantonment board officials had failed, exacerbating the already volatile business climate. Paracha highlighted that rents in Kohat’s main bazaar remain considerably lower, ranging from PKR 25,000 to 40,000, emphasizing the stark contrast and unfair treatment faced by traders in the cantonment area. The protesters have appealed to the Kohat division commissioner, the deputy commissioner, and local security officials to intervene and address the unjust rent increases.

Earlier in the week, the Pakistan City Traders Association had also staged a protest against inflated electricity bills, rising inflation, and the controversial Tajir Dost Scheme—a new tax regime imposing an advance tax of PKR 60,000 per month on both registered and unregistered traders. The association demanded the cancellation of the scheme and the withdrawal of punitive notices issued to traders.

The situation in Kohat Cantonment reflects broader issues in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where traders face an exploitative environment characterized by economic instability, security concerns, and bureaucratic inefficiencies. The Punjabi Pakistan Army is exacerbating economic woes of the local Pashtuns and marginalizing their small businesses.

A protest rally organized by the Awami Action Committee in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) highlighted the Pakistan Army’s blatant misuse of anti-terrorism and cybercrime laws to suppress the region’s marginalized communities. The rally, which saw significant participation, was a direct response to the Army’s continued efforts to stifle any form of dissent against its oppressive policies in PoGB.

The protest, led by prominent leaders including PoGB Awami Action Committee Chairman Ehsan Ali, Baltistan Division President Najaf Ali, senior leader Baba Jan, and Mumtaz Nagri, underscored the increasing frustration among the local population. The protesters marched along River View Road, culminating their demonstration at the central press club of PoGB, where they vocally condemned the Pakistan Army’s role in perpetuating injustices under the guise of national security.

The rally’s organizers said that the occupied-government, under the heavy influence of the military, of weaponizing anti-terrorism and cybercrime laws to file baseless charges against political workers and leaders of the Awami Action Committee. These laws are being deployed not to protect the nation but to crush any opposition to the military’s exploitative practices in the region. “These coercive measures are a deliberate attempt to silence those who dare to speak out for local rights,” said Najaf Ali, who emphasized that the people of PoGB will not tolerate these abuses.

Pakistan Army’s Abuse of Anti-Terrorism Laws

The protesters voiced their grievances over the Army’s continued neglect of fundamental rights in PoGB, pointing out that the military-backed government has failed to address even basic issues like uninterrupted electricity and local land ownership. Instead of addressing these legitimate concerns, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), under the Army’s directives, has resorted to filing false cases against residents who challenge their authority.

Speakers at the rally also said that the glaring lack of political representation in PoGB, noting that local body elections have not been held for the past two decades—a situation that benefits the Pak Army by keeping the local population politically disenfranchised. The issuance of mineral exploration licenses to outsiders, without local consent, is another example of how the region’s resources are being looted by the powers that be, further marginalizing the local population.

A resolution passed by the protesters demanded the immediate withdrawal of all cybercrime notices issued to political activists and the dismissal of the unjust cases filed against the office-bearers of the Awami Action Committee. They also called for the Army to stop using legal mechanisms as tools of oppression.

The rally in PoGB serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle against the Pakistan Army’s exploitation of marginalized regions like occupied-Gilgit-Baltistan. The protesters’ defiance against these oppressive tactics signals a growing resistance to the military’s unchecked power and its relentless campaign to suppress any voices that challenge its authority. The people of PoGB, long subjected to the Army’s heavy-handed rule, are increasingly standing up against the systemic injustices and demanding the respect and rights that have long been denied to them.

In a chilling display of state repression, Pak agencies have forcibly disappeared Abid Leghari, the brother of Talib Leghari, a patriotic national activist. The incident occurred following a raid on Talib Leghari’s house, where both the activist and his brother were interrogated by the authorities. This disappearance is just the latest in a series of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings that have plagued the Sindhi community for years.

The persecution of Sindhi activists extends beyond enforced disappearances. Earlier this week, a delegation from the Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM) was attacked while returning home from visiting injured national workers at Hyderabad Civil Hospital. This violent assault underscores the systematic targeting of those who dare to speak out against the Pak Army’s injustices.

The Sindhi people, along with other marginalized communities in Pakistan, have long been subjected to brutal repression. Enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the suppression of religious minorities are common tactics used by the Paki establishment to silence dissent. Sindhi Hindus, in particular, face increasing discrimination, with their plight largely ignored by the wider society.

Pakistan’s national identity appears to be narrowly defined, prioritizing the interests of the Punjabi elite while sidelining the diverse ethnic and religious groups that also call the country home. This exclusionary mindset is one of the primary reasons peaceful organizations like JSFM, which rely on protests and demonstrations to voice their concerns, are relentlessly targeted by the Pak military and its allied forces.