In Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), a politically sensitive region on Pakistan’s northern frontier bordering Kashmir and China, 35 police officers have been suspended and their salaries halted after they staged an overnight sit-in demanding higher daily allowances, reported by DAwn News.
The protest began late Monday, when hundreds of male and female officers gathered outside the Chief Minister’s House, pressing for increased benefits. Despite overnight negotiations, no agreement was reached, prompting disciplinary action.
Two separate suspension orders—one from the Reserve Police in Gilgit and another from the Hunza district police chief—cited “grave misconduct” and participation in unauthorized protests as grounds for action. Officials confirmed that 26 officers were suspended in Gilgit and nine in Hunza. Both orders halted pay for the suspended personnel.
On social media, GB police claimed that 63 officers had been dismissed for breaching discipline, though no formal notification has been issued. The department stressed that discipline is the “fundamental identity” of the police service and warned that violations would be met with strict action to maintain institutional transparency and efficiency.
This is the second major protest by GB police in recent weeks. Two weeks ago, a similar sit-in ended only after negotiations followed failed dispersal attempts by force. Protest leaders say the government’s promises were not kept, prompting the renewed demonstrations.
Organizers have threatened to escalate by demanding that police not be assigned to guard government officials, religious leaders, or Chinese nationals in the region.
The unrest comes as traders on the Karakoram Highway continue a separate, weeks-long blockade over taxation policies and the suspension of customs clearance at Sost dry port—disrupting the vital trade route between Pakistan and China through the Khunjerab Pass.
In GB, where geopolitics meets local grievance, the standoff between security forces and the state is deepening.
