Mounting Frustration in Gilgit-Baltistan: Power Crises and Political Repression

Mumtaz Hussain Nagri, leader of the Karakoram National Movement, highlights severe electricity shortages and lack of subsidies in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB). Criticizing sedition laws and governmental exploitation, Nagri calls for changes while criticizing Pakistan's neglect of local needs in infrastructure and basic services.

Mumtaz Hussain Nagri, the chairman of the Karakoram National Movement, has voiced serious concerns about the dire situation in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB). The region is grappling with a drastic electricity shortage, receiving a mere two hours of power supply per day. Nagri also pointed out the absence of subsidies, comparing it unfavorably with India's provision of aid on numerous essentials. He lamented that advocacy for residents' rights often results in being labeled as anti-nationalists.

Nagri was critical of the misuse of Section 124A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which enforces sedition laws leading to the detention of political activists for up to a decade without trial. He demanded its repeal, thanking Shaukat Ali Kashmiri of the United Kashmir People's National Party for his efforts in highlighting such issues at the United Nations. Kashmiri has historically supported tribal communities impacted by the Pakistani military.

Furthermore, Nagri opposed the Land Reform Act aimed at creating new districts in PoGB, arguing that it ignored local preferences. He also criticized the Green Tourism Act, believing it prioritized external profits over local interests by leasing out forest sites. These challenges highlight the broader struggle for adequate infrastructure and services in a region long mired in dispute.

(With inputs from agencies.)