Sost [POGB] August 6 : The ongoing protest at the Sost dry port in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), has exacerbated the difficulties for tourists attempting to enter or leave the area through the customs office, a report by the local news outlet, Pamir Times claimed on Tuesday.
The protest has been going on for the last 11 days. As a result of this, several international tourists are stranded outside the customs office, waiting for clearance. Customs office operations have also been disrupted due to the protest, which has now expanded to the Karakoram Highway. However, the local authorities are silent on the burning issue.
The former MLA of the PoBG Javed Hussian said earlier that the protest has led to the stoppage of port operations. He further warned they have also blocked the CPEC and the protest will go on till all demands are met.
"The protest has now entered its 9th day and our port operation has been stopped for 25 days and it's been 8 months since the last consignment had arrived and since then no trade has happened here. The taxation policy that we practice in PoGB is not similar to what is practised in Pakistan. Recently a customs officer was appointed and said that we would go by book, and then a customs collector came and he also said I'll go by book. So we decided to counter the book, we went to the PoGB High Court and got a verdict of no tax collection from PoGB. Today we have blocked the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the protest will go on till they don't agree," he said as quoted by the Pamir Times report.
A foreign national named James who wanted to leave PoGB in the Pamir Times report, said he is stuck there due to the ongoing strike.
He mentioned, "I am here with over 50 international tourists from all over the world. Each of us has a different situation, but we are being held here because of the strike on the border in Sost, going from Pakistan into China. We are very sympathetic with the local situation, but we feel like hostages. We have already been stuck here for 24 hours."
Despite court rulings against certain taxes, enforcement remains a challenge in PoGB due to delays and resistance from authorities.
Corruption among tax officials is also a significant issue, with traders sometimes encountering demands for bribes or facilitation payments, adding to compliance difficulties and costs. Delays in processing tax documents and refunds exacerbate cash flow problems for traders, compounding their challenges in conducting business effectively.
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