Protests rage like wild-fire in Gilgit-Baltistan after Pakistan army-ISI grab land illegally

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Dec 31: There have been angry protests in Gilgit-Baltistan over illegal land grabbing by the Pakistan army.

There have been widespread protests against the Pakistan army and the ISI with large-scale demonstrations against illegal land acquisition by the security agencies of Pakistan. The locals have been accusing the ISI and Pakistan army of grabbing land from locals for years. This is however the first time that the locals have risen against the army. In Gilgit’s Minawar village, the locals confronted the Gilgit Scouts and Pakistan army personnel when they came to demolish the properties of the local residents.

The protesters even raised slogans against the Pakistan army and accused them of occupying their land. The Pakistan army is forcibly taking out land and occupying our houses, one the protesters said.

The Pakistan army will be responsible if any untoward incident takes place. The chief secretary must come to resolve the issue or we will take this matter to the prime minister of Pakistan, the protesters also said.

Another protester said that the Pakistan army comes and attacks them. They acquire our land despite us giving 12,000 Kanal of land without any compensation. We are not ready to give them anymore, one protester said.

Pakistan scared on PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan

The residents of Minawar have been getting a lot of support from the residents of Gilgit Baltistan in fighting against the Pakistan army and stopping the land grabbing. Many protesters said that they were also willing to take the bullet from the army, but will not cede an inch of land. This is our ancestral land. We will not give this land without any cost.

Due to the excessive meddling the people of Gilgit Baltistan are facing a lot of problems. The anti-Pakistan sentiment is rising by the day also due to the illegal taxation, high inflation and raising unemployment.