AhlulBayt News Agency: Participants strongly condemned the federal government’s “indifference” toward the demands of traders who have been staging the region’s longest-ever sit-in protest for more than two months. The traders, who are peacefully calling for recognition of Gilgit-Baltistan as a tax-free zone, have faced both the use of force and being labeled “troublemakers” on national media.
“This is no longer just a traders’ issue,” the meeting declared. “It has now transformed into a national movement. The federal government and the FBR must immediately accept the two-point agenda in full and issue the necessary SRO, otherwise the Traders’ Supreme Council is ready to act.”
The meeting also expressed serious concerns over the Land Reforms Act 2025, accusing the government of using it to protect illegally allotted state lands while depriving ordinary citizens of their ancestral property. “The negative impacts of this Act are already visible, and people must now safeguard their lands themselves,” the resolution stated.
MWM leaders categorically rejected the federal government’s mining and minerals agreements with American companies, describing them as attempts to plunder local resources. “Gilgit-Baltistan is not a conquered territory. Its mountains belong to the people. Any move to seize our mineral wealth through dubious legislation or force will trigger a strong reaction,” the statement warned, urging residents to prepare to defend their natural resources.
The meeting also criticized plans to privatize key public institutions, particularly the power sector, calling it an “oppressive measure” that would lead to job cuts and higher tariffs. Instead, they urged the government to focus on improving departmental efficiency rather than selling assets.
On a positive note, the MWM welcomed district administration crackdowns on narcotics and illegal encroachments, as well as restrictions on under-18 access to internet cafés and gaming cafés at night, calling for strict enforcement of these measures.
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