Karachi (PR): The Gilgit-Baltistan Youth Alliance staged a protest demonstration on Sunday at the Karachi Press Club against the planned sale of rest houses, motels, and tourist attractions in G-B to a private company.
The protest included participants from the National Workers Front, Gilgit-Baltistan (NWF, GB), Karakoram National Movement (KNM), Balawaristan National Front (BNF), Awami Workers Party Gilgit-Baltistan Students Federation, All Baltistan Movement, Nagar Students Federation, Bagoro Students Organization, National Students Front G-B, Balawaristan National Students Organization, Karakoram Students Organization, and other groups.
Addressing the protest, participants condemned the planned sale of the historical rest houses, motels, and tourist attractions in Gilgit-Baltistan, deeming it illegal and against the interests of indigenous people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The following demands were made in the protest demonstration:
- Ensure the protection of minerals, land, and other resources of local communities by reinstating the state subject rule in the region.
- Delegate all powers over local resources to the local people and acknowledge their internal autonomy by establishing a new social contract.
- Ensure that any future project or investment is made in an agreement with the local people as a prerequisite. The ownership of the land and infrastructure should belong to the local people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Additionally, 70% of the profits and jobs generated through any project should benefit the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
- Release Javed Quraishi, the leader of the Awami Action Committee from Diamer district, whose arrest according to the protestors was made on baseless charges.
- Immediately reinstate the terminated employees of PC Hotel Nasirabad Hunza to their positions.
