On May 26, a symbolic protest walk was held in City Park Skardu against the occupation of forests and rest houses. The protesters voiced strong opposition to the Pakistan Army’s attempts to seize the land of Pakistan-Occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB) under the guise of green tourism.
They accused the military of exploiting POGB’s resources for its own gain, enforced through the threat of arms.
Separately, Najaf Ali, Chairman of the Awami Action Committee Baltistan, led a protest in Skardu City Park against the occupation by a non-local company. He also instructed the construction staff to cease their activities in the park.
Meanwhile on May 27, an important meeting was convened at Jamia Masjid Gamba Skardu, called by the Deputy Imam of Friday Prayers. The meeting was attended by members of the Awami Action Committee and local leaders. During the gathering, there was a consensus to launch a door-to-door public awareness campaign. The participants agreed to initiate a movement soon to resist the military’s efforts to seize the region’s resources.
The protestors emphasized that the resources of Gilgit-Baltistan, from the riverbanks to the mountain peaks, rightfully belong to the local people and that any occupation by external forces is unacceptable.
It is worth mentioning that POGB started to boil after the occupying government put 20 guest houses and 16 forest Nurseries land to a non-native private company, allegedly a favourite of Pak Army. The sole purpose of such lease is the land grab to make the native population landless and minority in their own land, thereby making them voiceless.