Gilgit / Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-administered Kashmir: A political storm is brewing in the high mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan, a region administered by Pakistan but lacking constitutional status. In a rapidly developing situation, the Awami Action Committee Gilgit Baltistan (AACGB) has warned of mass protests, strikes, and civil disobedience, demanding the immediate release of detained leaders and voicing growing anger over proposed land reforms.
The emergency session held by AACGB in Gilgit on 21 May expressed grave concern over the health of Advocate Ehsan, the committee’s chairman, who remains in state custody and under medical treatment, reportedly without access to legal counsel or family. Human rights observers have described these restrictions as a clear violation of basic civil liberties.
“Ehsan Advocate is not just a political leader; he is a symbol of the collective voice of Gilgit-Baltistan. If any harm comes to him, the state will be held accountable,” read the AAC’s official statement following the meeting.
The AACGB accused authorities of using arrests and coercion to suppress dissent ahead of controversial legislative changes. At the heart of the issue is the proposed Land Reforms Act, which the AAC claims will strip the people of Gilgit-Baltistan of their ancestral lands, mineral rights, and control over natural resources, in favor of outside interests.
The committee further alleges that by jailing key regional leaders, the government seeks to pave the way for the forced implementation of land and resource policies without democratic consent.
The emergency meeting, attended both physically and virtually by AACGB leadership across Gilgit-Baltistan, resolved to escalate public mobilization. Organizing committees have been formed at the district, tehsil, and union council levels, with directives to engage youth, women, and students in a widespread protest movement.
“If these illegal detentions and exploitative laws continue, we will launch a region-wide shutdown, sit-ins, and non-cooperation campaigns,” warned the AAC. “The people of this land will not allow their mountains, rivers, and resources to be auctioned off.”
Regional Ripple Effect: Echoes in Azad Kashmir
The unrest in Gilgit-Baltistan is not occurring in isolation. Political activists and civil society groups in Azad Jammu & Kashmir—also administered by Pakistan—have begun voicing support. Many argue that similar grievances exist on both sides of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, including lack of representation, land rights issues, and suppression of dissent.
In Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot, solidarity statements and small-scale gatherings have begun to take shape, highlighting a shared sentiment of marginalization and demanding an end to centralized decision-making without local consultation.
Background: Disputed and Disenfranchised
Both Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir remain disputed territories under Pakistani control, with no constitutional representation in Pakistan’s national parliament. While often presented as separate entities in administrative terms, many within these regions identify shared struggles of political invisibility, economic exploitation, and environmental dispossession.
Independent observers believe the growing wave of public dissent may mark a turning point, especially if inter-regional solidarity continues to build.
As protests intensify, the question remains: Will Islamabad listen—or will another chapter of suppression unfold in these fragile mountain regions?