Hundreds Stranded Amid Tax Protest in Gilgit-Baltistan

Travel between Pakistan and China through the Khunjerab Pass remained suspended for a second consecutive day on Tuesday after protesters blocked the Immigration Office entry and exit points at the Pakistan-China border.

According to officials, hundreds of Chinese nationals, foreign tourists, and students were unable to cross into China due to the ongoing blockade on the Karakoram Highway (KKH). Frustrated Chinese nationals and tourists reportedly confronted local police, demanding arrangements for their return, with heated exchanges taking place at the scene.

Background of the Protest

For the past 51 days, traders and residents of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) have been staging a sit-in, obstructing the KKH at Sost. Their protest is against the federal government’s collection of Sales Tax, Income Tax, and Excise Duty from GB residents. Protesters argue that such taxation is unconstitutional since GB lacks representation in Pakistan’s parliament and, under the Constitution, does not hold the status of a full province.

Political Response

Addressing the GB Assembly, treasury member and PPP’s regional president Advocate Amjad Hussain—who is also part of the committee negotiating with the federal government—said discussions were underway. He revealed that in preliminary talks, federal representatives acknowledged that collecting federal taxes from GB residents and traders was unlawful. Hussain assured the Assembly that the matter would be resolved soon.

Opposition lawmakers, including Javed Ali Manwa, Raja Zakaria, and Syed Sohail Abbas, criticised both the GB and federal governments for failing to address the issue promptly and prolonging the crisis.

Protesters’ Stand

Leaders of the sit-in accused the authorities of planning a crackdown instead of addressing genuine concerns, warning of serious consequences if force was used. Organisers such as Gulsher Khan stressed that the protest had been called by all major traders’ bodies in GB and that the federal government’s taxation policies were crippling the region’s economy.

Another protest leader, Ebad Nagari, claimed that Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) policies had left thousands of people jobless. He added that over 200 consignments imported from China had been stuck at Sost Dry Port for nearly 10 months, causing traders losses worth billions of rupees.

With travel routes blocked and diplomatic tensions mounting due to the presence of stranded Chinese nationals, protesters vowed to continue their sit-in until their demands are met.