Prolonged PoGB sit-in disrupts Karakoram Highway, leaves travellers stranded at Sost

Gilgit [PoGB], September 10 : Hundreds of Chinese citizens, foreign tourists, and students remained stuck in Sost as demonstrators continued to block both entry and exit points of the Khunjerab Pass Immigration Office located on the Pakistan-China border on Tuesday for the second consecutive day, according to a report by Dawn.

Authorities stated that a significant number of Chinese nationals, students, and international visitors were unable to cross into China through the Khunjerab Pass because protestors from Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) prevented any movement along the Karakoram Highway (KKH) that connects the two countries.

The stranded travellers, including Chinese citizens and tourists, expressed anger and frustration, confronting local police officials over their failure to arrange safe passage to China. According to officials, many of these travellers protested and engaged in heated arguments with authorities over the situation.

The ongoing demonstration is being led by residents and traders of PoGB, who have been holding a sit-in for 51 consecutive days, effectively blocking the KKH. They are protesting against the federal government's imposition of Sales Tax, Income Tax, and Excise Tax on the people of PoGB. The protesters argue that the imposition of any federal tax is illegal because PoGB residents lack representation in Pakistan's parliament, and, according to Pakistan's Constitution, the region is not officially a part of the country, Dawn reported.

Those participating in the sit-in have accused the PoGB administration of preparing to launch a crackdown against them instead of addressing their legitimate demands. They warned the authorities of severe repercussions if such measures were taken. The protest, which has paralysed trade routes, was called by all major traders' associations across PoGB.

Gulsher Khan, one of the protesters, accused both the federal and PoGB governments of showing no sincerity in resolving the dispute. He emphasised that protesters were demanding their constitutional rights, insisting that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had no authority to impose taxes on the people and traders of PoGB, as they are not represented in Pakistan's legislative system.

Khan also revealed that more than 200 consignments imported from China have been lying idle at the Sost Dry Port for the past 10 months, causing traders in PoGB to suffer financial losses amounting to billions of rupees. Another protester, Ebad Nagari, said that the FBR's taxation policies have rendered thousands of residents jobless, as reported by Dawn.

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