GB protest continues against end to wheat subsidy

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 paralysing routine life in Gilgit, Skardu, Ghizer and Hunza.

Because of the protests, attendance in government and private offices has remained thin. Business activities have also remained suspended.

The AAC has pledged to continue the protests until the acceptance of their demands. The committee has told the authorities that it will not call off the protests until a notification on the matter is issued.

However, the AAC appealed to the public on Friday to end a shutter-down strike but announced that sit-ins would continue. Meanwhile speaking to the protesters in Gilgit on Friday, AAC convener Ehsan Ali said the committee’s negotiations did not bear any fruit as only three of their nine demands had so far been discussed.

The chief minister and his cabinet colleagues did not want to solve the issues, he said.

“The government team initially told us that the issue of wheat subsidy involved the federal government and the chief minister had no authority to withdraw the decision,” he said. He said that four days ago the CM committed that a summary would be sent to the federal government recommending that the price of wheat be maintained at Rs8 per kg and also to solve the problem of loadshedding.

“In view of the chief minister’s promises we called off our protest. “But, even after four days the CM has failed to float the summary and no notification for health fees and loadshedding has been issued.”http://www.dawn.com/news/1100882/gb-protest-continues-against-end-to-wheat-subsidy

Rising price of flour in G-B; edit  in The Express Tribune, Apr 19, 2014

There are more and more people in the country who believe people need to take more action if anything is to change. There is also a feeling that too little attention is being paid to the issue of inflation — something that affects all of us. It especially affects people in the more deprived regions of the country, such as Gilgit-Baltistan, where the price of a single kilogramme of wheat flour has soared within a short period from eight rupees to 16 rupees, with fears it may reach 36 rupees by July this year. The impact on the lives of people is not hard to imagine.

Given the situation, it is good to see a group of some 23 parties, combined under the umbrella of the Awami Action Committee (AAC), come together to protest the rise in prices. The strike called by the group was hugely successful, with lawyers, traders and others joining in. The AAC consists primarily of religious groups, the leaders of some personally joining the rally, as well as some political groups. It is heartening to see religious parties take the lead in upholding the rights of people. This indeed should be the primary concern of these groups, serving and protecting people who suffer is, after all, a basic principle of our religion, and indeed many others. Larger political parties could learn some lessons, and keep in mind what the main concerns of people are. Attention needs to be drawn to them. It is also good to see the AAC active in a deprived and often neglected portion of the country. For much of the time the situation of people here is forgotten, and there is a kind of disconnect from the rest of the country.

This should not be the case. During the strike action across G-B, with transport coming to a stop in Skardu, Chilas, Gilgit and other areas there were recollections of the subsidy given on flour under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. It is clear people need this now as much as they did then. The AAC has highlighted their plight. We must hope the matter will be taken up at the highest levels.http://tribune.com.pk/story/697364/rising-price-of-flour-in-g-b/