By Shabbir Mir in The Express Tribune, Apr 20 GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) continues to be in the grip of protests after the federal government’s refusal to restore the region’s wheat subsidy. The shutter-down strike announced by the Awami Action Committee (AAC) entered its fifth day on Saturday. The strikes were launched to pressure the government into restoring G-B’s wheat subsidy which was put in place by prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto owing to the region’s…
Posts published in April 2014
Jamil Nagri in Dawn, Apr 19, 2014 GILGIT: Protests against the withdrawal of wheat subsidy continued in Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday, with negotiations between the GB government and leaders of the Awami Action Committee (AAC) making no headway. An alliance of 22 religious and political parties continued their protests against withdrawal of the subsidy in all the district headquarters, including regional capital Gilgit. Protesters have been holding sit-ins on key roads, causing inconvenience to travellers and…
Report in The Express Tribune, April 17th, 2014. MUZAFFARABAD: She believes women need to be empowered through education and financial independence, yet feels strongly that women need to do so while balancing their cultural values with emancipation. A success story to say the least, Farzana Yaqoob, Minister for Social Welfare and Women’s Development in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is helping bring about change but with a sense of balance. The younger daughter of Azad…
Report in The Express Tribune, Apr 18, 2014 ISLAMABAD: With energy crisis expected to exacerbate in the summer months, prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday that he will personally monitor progress of the 4,500 megawatt Diamer-Bhasah dam in Gilgit-Baltistan, directing that security for foreign consultants be ensured. During a briefing on the project at the PM house on Thursday, Nawaz noted that the project will not only help augment energy requirements of the country…
Report in The Express Tribune, Apr 18, 2014 GILGIT: The shutter-down strike across Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) entered its third day on Thursday as negotiations between the government and Awami Action Committee (AAC) remained inconclusive. In hopes of pressuring the government into reinstating the subsidy and reducing the price of wheat, AAC has threatened to continue the strike unless their demands are met. On Thursday, however, some shops were partially open and traffic kept moving, weakening the…
By Shabbir Mir in The Express Tribune, April 16,2014 GILGIT: Staying true to its word, the Awami Action Committee (ACC) succeeded in its call for a shutter down and transport strike in parts of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) on Tuesday. In hopes of pressuring the government into reinstating the subsidy and reducing the price of wheat, AAC has threatened to continue the strike unless their demands are met. The AAC is an alliance of around 23 religious…