Massive Protests In PoK: Protesters Block China-Pakistan Highway For 3 Days Over Shehbaz Sharif Govt's Trade Policies

Thousands of outraged residents of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan have hit the streets against the Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government, blocking the Karakoram Highway – the crown jewel of the CPEC which connects China and Pakistan – for three days.

The blockage of the Karakoram Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan, part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), continued for the third consecutive day on Sunday, leading to a complete halt to vehicular movement on the key route.

Importers and exporters based in Gilgit-Baltistan, supported by political parties, including Shehbaz Shrif's PML(N), have been protesting against the trade policies of the federal government, which they call as "exploitative" and an "economic murder."

The agitators were also joined by traders, scholars, and civil society members from Hunza, Gilgit and other adjoining towns.

The sit-in protest at Gilgit-Baltistan's Gulmat Nagar saw thousands of demonstrators, from all walks of life, vowing to block the highway until their demands were met, according to Pakistani media.

A local leader of PML(N), Javed Hussain, admitted that the federal government, led by his own party, "wasn't serious about addressing the protesters' demands."

Hussain, a former member of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, claimed that the region of POK was facing discrimination due to its lack of representation in Parliament.

Reason For The Protest?

The protest was called by the Pak-China Traders Action Committee, a banner comprising the Gilgit-Baltistan Importers and Exporters Association, the Nagar Chamber of Commerce, and small trade associations from Nagar, Hunza, and Gilgit.

The protests stem from the suspension of customs clearance for imported consignments from China at Sost Dry Port, which has remained closed for the past six months.

According to the protesting traders, at least 257 consignments have been stuck at the port since December 2024, leading to massive financial losses due to expired goods, daily port charges, and other expenses.

What Are Protesters Demanading?

Protesters are demanding immediate clearance of the stranded consignments through a one-time amnesty scheme, saying they can no longer bear the accumulating losses.