Blockade of KKH causes shortage of essential items in G-B
CM claims highway to be cleared.
GILGIT:
Chief Minister (CM) Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) said the Karakoram Highway (KKH), blocked by protesters for five days, would be cleared by Wednesday evening as negotiations with a delegation of political representatives have concluded successfully.
The CM’s statement claiming negotiations were successful and the blockade was expected to end came at a time when G-B has been hit by a shortage of food and other items.
For the past five days, the region has been practically cut off from the rest of the country, suspending supplies sent from Rawalpindi and other cities. Hoarders and black marketers were quick to profit from the situation and created an artificial crisis in the region by restricting availability of items of daily use, including food and driving up prices.
“Prices of items of daily use including vegetables, milk, meat and pulses have risen or the items have vanished from the shops,” said Abdul Nafees, a resident of Gilgit.
A vendor said that the blockade had disrupted the supply system as goods destined for G-B travel upcountry via the KKH that also connects G-B with China.
Residents are apprehensive the shortage will worsen in the coming days if the highway remains blocked. Hundreds of trucks loaded with food items were stuck in Chilas, the principal town of Diamer valley, a resident of Chilas told The Express Tribune on Wednesday.
Over 5000 protesters blocked the KKH after Abdul Wakil’s body was brought to his native town for burial. A resident of Chilas, he was target killed in Gilgit last week in an attack motivated by sectarianism.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2012.
Chief Minister (CM) Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) said the Karakoram Highway (KKH), blocked by protesters for five days, would be cleared by Wednesday evening as negotiations with a delegation of political representatives have concluded successfully.
The CM’s statement claiming negotiations were successful and the blockade was expected to end came at a time when G-B has been hit by a shortage of food and other items.
For the past five days, the region has been practically cut off from the rest of the country, suspending supplies sent from Rawalpindi and other cities. Hoarders and black marketers were quick to profit from the situation and created an artificial crisis in the region by restricting availability of items of daily use, including food and driving up prices.
“Prices of items of daily use including vegetables, milk, meat and pulses have risen or the items have vanished from the shops,” said Abdul Nafees, a resident of Gilgit.
A vendor said that the blockade had disrupted the supply system as goods destined for G-B travel upcountry via the KKH that also connects G-B with China.
Residents are apprehensive the shortage will worsen in the coming days if the highway remains blocked. Hundreds of trucks loaded with food items were stuck in Chilas, the principal town of Diamer valley, a resident of Chilas told The Express Tribune on Wednesday.
Over 5000 protesters blocked the KKH after Abdul Wakil’s body was brought to his native town for burial. A resident of Chilas, he was target killed in Gilgit last week in an attack motivated by sectarianism.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2012.