Picture Story: 61 Days of Protest: Sost Border Closure Strands Passengers and Halts Trade

The protest at the Sost border in Gilgit-Baltistan has entered its 61st day, leaving cross-border trade and travel in complete paralysis. Local traders, angered over what they call unfair restrictions, have staged a continuous sit-in, forcing immigration services to shut down.

The closure has stranded dozens of Chinese passengers who remain stuck at the crossing, while the suspension of movement has also blocked a key trade route used by Pakistan to import and export goods with China.

With no breakthrough in sight, the crisis is not only disrupting the livelihoods of traders in Gilgit-Baltistan but also straining Pakistan’s wider economic ties through this vital corridor.