Thousands of residents in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan have launched a powerful protest against the Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government, bringing the strategically vital Karakoram Highway—a core link in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)—to a standstill for the third consecutive day. The blockade has paralyzed traffic between Pakistan and China and stranded thousands of commuters and tourists, signaling deepening unrest in the region.
The protest, spearheaded by the Pak-China Traders Action Committee, stems from the six-month-long suspension of customs clearance for around 257 consignments at Sost Dry Port, a critical trade hub near the Chinese border. Traders have reported significant financial losses due to expired goods, high port charges, and mounting business disruptions. Their demands include an immediate one-time amnesty to clear these consignments, which have been stuck since December.
This economic chokehold has become the tipping point for public frustration in Gilgit-Baltistan, an area long neglected by Islamabad. Backed by local chapters of PML(N), PTI, and other political parties, the protest has drawn participation from traders, scholars, and civil society members from Gilgit, Hunza, and Nagar. Protesters have denounced the federal trade policies as “exploitative” and “economic murder”, accusing the establishment of ignoring the region’s core livelihood—cross-border trade with China—while prioritizing the interests of other regions and even granting amnesties to former terrorists.
Former Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly member and PML(N) leader Javed Hussain sharply criticized his own party’s federal leadership, accusing it of discriminating against Gilgit-Baltistan. “The FBR is reluctant to clear consignments despite taxes being paid. Yet, the same state machinery compensates terrorists,” he said. Hussain emphasized that the region’s lack of constitutional representation in Pakistan’s Parliament had further marginalized its residents.
This is not an isolated outburst. The protest follows a pattern of recurring unrest in Gilgit-Baltistan:
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May 2024: Residents protested a controversial bill that could lead to land and mineral grabs.
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October 2023: Skardu saw large-scale demonstrations demanding the opening of the Kargil road to India due to shortages and inflation. Activist Shabbir Mayyar was arrested under anti-terror laws for chanting pro-Kargil slogans.
The protest has also highlighted broader grievances: lack of jobs, absence of industries, power outages, and disenfranchisement. Protesters warned that the CPEC cannot continue to operate seamlessly if the people of Gilgit-Baltistan—through whose territory it runs—remain economically strangled and politically voiceless.
Despite visits by government officials, including members of the Gilgit-Baltistan administration led by PTI, negotiations failed as protesters insisted on immediate federal-level solutions. Even Muhammad Ali Quaid, special assistant to the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister, acknowledged the semi-provincial government’s lack of authority, placing the onus on the federal government.
As long queues of vehicles stretch across both sides of the Karakoram Highway and anger mounts on the ground, this movement signals not just an economic crisis but a deeper identity and autonomy struggle. The unrest underscores growing resistance to Islamabad’s control over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, exposing the fragility of its so-called integration into the Pakistani state.
