GILGIT: Trade and passenger movement between Pakistan and China came to a halt on Monday as the Khunjerab border was shut down in the wake of the sit-in at Sost entering its 50th consecutive day. A banner was placed at the main gate of the immigration office in Sost, declaring that no entry or exit would be allowed until traders’ demands are addressed.
The prolonged protest, led by the Pak-China Tajir Ittehad Action Committee, has already suspended operations at the Sost Dry Port, where hundreds of containers remain stranded. Traders insist they will not call off the sit-in until Islamabad announces relief measures. Their key demands include exemption from sales and income taxes, clearance of stuck consignments, and compensation for goods damaged due to long delays.
Residents and business groups across Gilgit-Baltistan have extended support to the demonstrators, staging shutter-down strikes and calling for the region to be declared a non-tariff zone. Protesters argue that taxing Gilgit-Baltistan without constitutional representation is unlawful and discriminatory, a claim backed by previous legal rulings.
The continued closure of the border has triggered fears of further economic disruption, as the Khunjerab Pass is a vital artery for Pakistan-China trade under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The standoff has now entered a critical phase, with warnings that a province-wide strike could follow if the federal government does not intervene before September 10.
