Unrest deepens in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan as police revolt over unpaid allowances

Islamabad, Aug 23 (IANS) Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) remains gripped by escalating unrest as police personnel protesting over delayed allowances and benefits have met with suspensions and salary halts, a report cited. 

Rather than addressing the grievances through dialogue, the actions of the regional administration, it said, have only deepened the tensions between law enforcement officers and the authorities.

The unrest broke out in mid-August when hundreds of police officers, including women constables, staged an overnight sit-in outside the residence of the regional authority in PoGB. Their main demand was the release of allowances approved in the regional budget but withheld in practice.

According to a report in the leading Afghan news agency Khaama Press, the officers called for the same treatment as Islamabad Police, seeking a monthly ration allowance of Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 6,000 instead of the PKR 500 increase offered. They also demanded inclusion in the 30 per cent Disparity Reduction Allowance, which was already given to other government employees.

“On August 11, authorities in Gilgit suspended 26 officers, citing grave misconduct and violation of government servant conduct. The following day, nine more personnel were suspended in Hunza. In total, 35 officers faced suspension, and their salaries were withheld. Later, police authorities claimed through social media that as many as 63 personnel had been dismissed from service for breach of discipline, a move that, if confirmed, would be one of the largest dismissals in the region’s recent history,” the report detailed.

While the authorities justified the measures as essential for upholding discipline, the protesters argued that their actions fell within the constitutional right to peaceful demonstration.

“The August sit-in followed an earlier protest on July 28, which was called off after government assurances that concerns would be addressed within 14 days. Protesters say that the administration failed to meet its commitments, leading to renewed demonstrations,” the report stated.

It further emphasised that the ongoing unrest in PoGB echoes the protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in July, where tens of thousands of police officers staged a “pen-down strike” to push a 10-point charter of demands.

The report mentioned that the demands included revised calculations of allowances, access to military hospital facilities, and the release of salary increases approved since 2008 but not implemented.

Citing local media reports, it highlighted that senior police officers have voiced support for the rank-and-file, indicating that discontent runs across multiple levels of the force. Traders, lawyers, and sections of civil society have rallied behind the protests, mounting pressure on the administration to resolve the crisis.

“Analysts suggest that continued suspensions and dismissals may deepen mistrust and exacerbate instability at a time when the region’s role in national security and international infrastructure projects is expanding,” the report noted.

--IANS

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