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Posts published in April 2014

Collective action:by Saranjam Beyg in Dawn, Apr 29, 2014

The writer taught at a public-sector university in Pakistan and is currently pursuing a doctorate in economics and public policy. Recently, for almost a fortnight, Gilgit-Baltistan saw huge political congregations and sit-ins with shutter-down strikes across its seven districts. The protest initially began against the withdrawal of the wheat subsidy given to the region by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. But the protesters went on to demand the implementation of a nine-point charter including basic civic rights…

Human rights issues: Senate panel off to G-B on fact-finding mission

By Peer Muhammad  in The Express Tribune, April 28th, 2014 Islamabad: A nine-member Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights left on Sunday for Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) to know about the fundamental human rights issues being faced by the people of the area. The committee – led by senator Afrasiab Khattak – will spend three days in the G-B and meet political, social and national leaders of the area. “We will meet people from all walks of…

AAC, centre agree on wheat price after 12 days of protests

By Shabbir Mir in The Express Tribune, April 28th, 2014 GILGIT: After 12 days of paralysing protests in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), the Awami Action Committee (AAC) and the centre reached an agreement on restoring the region’s wheat subsidy. AAC Chairman Ehsan Ali announced the end of the strike at a protest camp in the city at about 11pm on Saturday after receiving “good news” from one of the AAC members negotiating with government officials in Islamabad.…

AAC ends protests after successful talks with government :The Express Tribune, April 26, 2014.

ISLAMABAD: The Gilgit Baltistan (GB) action committee on Saturday announced an end to their 11-day long sit-in and protests over wheat subsidies after successful dialogue with the government committee. Both committees finalised their recommendations which will be sent to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for final approval. Federal minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Chaudhry Barjees Tahir had led the government’s committee, which included members such as Amjed Hussain Advocate, Muhammad Ibrahim, Bashir Ahmed Khan…

AAC ends protests after successful talks with government :The Express Tribune, April 26, 2014.

ISLAMABAD: The Gilgit Baltistan (GB) action committee on Saturday announced an end to their 11-day long sit-in and protests over wheat subsidies after successful dialogue with the government committee. Both committees finalised their recommendations which will be sent to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for final approval. Federal minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Chaudhry Barjees Tahir had led the government’s committee, which included members such as Amjed Hussain Advocate, Muhammad Ibrahim, Bashir Ahmed Khan…

GB action committee meets officials to resolve subsidy issue: Dawn, Apr 26, 2014

GILGIT: The Awami Action Committee, a grouping of 22 religious, political and regional parties, on Friday said that it would announce the future course of action once the parleys between an AAC delegation and the federal government officials got completed regarding resolution of the wheat subsidy issue. AAC leader Gulam Abbas told Dawn here that the executive body of the committee had given all powers to Maulana Abdus Sami, regional emir of Jamaat-i-Islami, to take…

Committee constituted to resolve Gilgit-Baltistan wheat crisis :The Express Tribune, Apr 23, 2014

ISLAMABAD: After almost a week of protest, which saw at times business come to a halt in Gilgit-Baltistan, the government on Tuesday constituted a five-member committee under the chairmanship of Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Muhammad Barjees Tahir to resolve the issue of wheat subsidy. Committee will meet on April 24, 2014 to formulate recommendations which will then be sent to Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) for final approval. Other members of the committee include…

Agitation over wheat prices: Protesters pour into Gilgit as AAC ultimatum ends

By Shabbir Mir in The Express Tribune, Apr 23, 2014 GILGIT:  People from various parts of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) are pouring into Gilgit as an ultimatum given by the Awami Action Committee (AAC) for the restoration of the wheat subsidy ended on Tuesday. At least 3,000 people, in large convoys, reached Gilgit from Diamer Valley at about 4pm in response to AAC’s call for a long march, while convoys from Ghizer, Baltistan, Hunza-Nagar and Astore were…

Open-air education, literally: edit in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2014.

Any attempt to explain or even begin to understand why it is that a government school in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is conducted in the open air for the last 28 years falls at the first hurdle. The education minister for AJK lives close to Kotli Battal village where the Government Primary School has been without a building — or boundary wall or toilets or any other facility associated with a government school —…

PPP leader asks govt to give GB wheat subsidy: The News, Apr 21, 2014

LAHORE: PPP Central Punjab Secretary General Tanvir Ashraf Kaira has called upon the federal government to restore the wheat subsidy for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. He said the PML-N government was a government of the capitalists by the capitalists and for the capitalists.In a statement issued on Sunday, he said that the Gilgit- Baltistan (GB) government had been facing tough resistance from the people who resorted to staging a sit-in. He said that the wheat…

Suspension of Gilgit-Pindi bus service threatened: The Express Tribune, April 20, 2014 GILGIT: Office

bearers of the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Transport Association and Kohistan Transport Association (KTA) on Saturday threatened to suspend the bus service between G-B and Rawalpindi over their disapproval of the ‘convoy system’. At least 30 buses are escorted together on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) from Gilgit to Rawalpindi and made to stop at several check posts for clearance. As a result, people travelling on passenger buses have to travel for at least 26 hours instead of…