GILGIT: The 30-day-long protest sit-in at Sost dry port in Gilgit Baltistan intensified on Thursday when a clash erupted between protesters and police, leaving six people injured.

The Gilgit-Baltistan government announced that the federal government had agreed to exempt income tax and sales tax on goods imported from China for local consumption.

A clash broke out between police and protesters early Thursday, leaving several people injured, protest organisers claimed, as traders continued to block the Karakoram Highway (KKH) at Sost, suspending all trade activities between Pakistan and China through the Khunjerab Pass for the past 30 days.

Last month, the Pak-China Tajir Ittehad Action Committee launched a protest against the suspension of consignments, blaming the federal government’s inaction over unresolved tax-related issues, which, they said, had inflicted heavy losses on importers and exporters over the year.

One of the organisers, Muhammad Ismail, claimed that the police had launched a crackdown against peaceful protesters on Wednesday night, stating, “Police resorted to tear gas and aerial firing to disperse protesters from the venue.”

Speaking to reporters, Hunza Superintendent of Police Nabeel Ahmed said that there was no plan to launch a crackdown on the sit-in.

“Police were deployed only to arrest a suspect allegedly extorting traders at the customs and immigration area upon their return from China,” he said. “The sit-in organisers had been asked to hand over the suspect for investigation, but they have not done so yet.”

The protest organisers said that the police and district administration had warned the protesters to disperse from Sost. Addressing an emergency press conference, Ismail, Ebadullah, Gul Sher and other committee members claimed that the police “attacked protesters at midnight to sabotage the peaceful protest for the rights of GB people.”

Protest demonstrations broke out across the region in solidarity with protesters and against police action after videos of the clash at Sost went viral on social media. Protesters blocked the KKH at multiple locations, burning tyres. Demonstrations were reported on KKH at Danyor, Naad-e-Ali Chowk, Jutal, Guru Jaglot areas in Gilgit; Haraspo, Sikandarabad, Thole and Ghulmat in Nagar district; and Ganish area in Hunza. Protests were also held blocking the Naltar Highway in Nomal, as well as in Khomar, Ittehad Chowk, Danyor, and the Amphary areas of Gilgit.

Protesters said the demands represented the demands of all GB people. They announced their full support for the ongoing sit-in. Meanwhile, a protest demonstration was also held at Yadgar Skardu.

A delegation from Diamer, led by Moulana Hazratullah, arrived in Sost to show solidarity with the protesters.

GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, speaking to journalists in Gilgit, said they were part of the committee constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to resolve traders’ issues. He said negotiations were underway and the matter would soon be settled. He also said he had not issued any instructions to take action against protesters.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in the GB Assembly Kazim Mesum and member Javed Ali Manwa also joined the protest at Sikandarabad in Nagar. Condemning the use of force, Kazim Mesum said the federal government must resolve the genuine demands of traders without further delay.

Addressing a press conference, members of the ministerial committee formed by the GB chief minister regarding the protest, including Member of the Legislative Assembly Amjad Hussain Advocate, GB Minister Rehmat Khaliq, Shams Lone, Eman Shah and GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq, said the federal government had agreed to address the demands of GB traders.

Published in Dawn, August 22th, 2025