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Tehreek-e-Islami Gilgit-Baltistan announced the beginning of protest demonstrations in January in response to rising wheat prices as well as other regional problems.
Every social, religious, and political group in Gilgit-Baltistan is opposing the government's decision to increase the price of wheat and stop subsidising it. The Islamabad-controlled local government has, however, asserted that price reductions were implemented in order to discourage hoarding, smuggling, and black market operations. Surprisingly, the government has claimed that the price adjustments will not have a negative effect on the average person and all the stakeholders were consulted before the price adjustments. The rationale offered by the government for raising wheat prices has done nothing but cause public discontent. Sheikh Mirza Ali, Tehreek-e-Islami leader, said, "How could the administration say that all the stakeholders were consulted? In six districts, symbolic protests were carried out and before that, shutterdown strikes were observed all across Gilgit-Baltistan, whom did they consult?" "There is no internet, there is no electricity and there are no facilities. I wish that this administration, rather than dropping a 'bomb of inflation' on us, could have tried to take control of load-shedding," he added. The angry protestors have demanded that if the government wants the general public to pay more for wheat sacks, then ministers, bureaucrats, and army generals surrender all subsidies. They have claimed that most of the things that people in positions of power enjoy are provided to them for free or at a discounted price. In addition to the wheat subsidy problem, load shedding, illegal land occupation, and resource exploitation are major sources of anger for the local residents. (ANI)
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