G-B gov dashes to Islamabad on wheat subsidy

People to march against commodity rate hike today

GILGIT:

Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Syed Mehdi Shah on Friday called on President Dr Arif Alvi to discuss the increase in the rate of subsidised wheat in the region in the wake of its residents announcing that they would stages marches against the move on Saturday (today).

The president told the governor that he had taken up the matter of the subsidised wheat price hike with the caretaker premier and finance minister.

Alvi hoped that the issue would be addressed soon.

A day earlier, the elected members of the G-B Council also called on the president to discuss the issue of the subsidised wheat rate hike.

The president assured them that he would take up the matter at the relevant forums.

The residents of G-B have been staging protests for almost a month against the increase in the subsidised wheat price in the region.

They have pledged to stage demonstrations until the government withdrew its decision to jack up the rate  of subsidised wheat.

The residents of G-B, on the call of the Awami Action Committee (AAC), on Friday observed a shutter-down and wheel-jam strike across the region for their demand.

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The call was issued after negotiations between an AAC delegation and the government to end the protest failed to produce any positive outcome.

On the orders of the G-B chief minister, a team comprising several government officials met with the demonstrators and requested them to call off their protest, assuring them that their demand would be met.

However, the other side stuck to its guns and pledged not to call off its protest until the decision to increase the price of subsided wheat was revoked.

The ACC chief organiser announced ‘plan B’ of the movement while addressing protesters in Gilgit.

He called for a shutter-down and wheel-jam strike across G-B on Friday while marches from various areas of the region towards Gilgit and Skardu would begin on Saturday (today).

Residents of Diamer, Astore, Hunza, Nagar, and Ghizer will march towards Gilgit. Protesters from Shigar, Kharmang, and Ghanche will march towards Skardu.

(With input from APP)