GILGIT; Gilgit-Baltistan’s traders have announced that their protest sit-in at Sost Dry Port will continue, rejecting the federal government’s conditional tax relief on imports.
The announcement was made by trade leader Javed Hussain, who has been spearheading the demonstration since July.
Traders had launched the sit-in in protest against taxation policies and the suspension of customs clearance at the port, effectively halting cross-border trade.
On Wednesday, following negotiations between federal and GB authorities and business leaders in Islamabad, the government agreed to exempt imports routed through Sost Dry Port from key federal taxes.
However, this concession was limited to goods meant for local consumption, with a strict eligibility framework and a cap of Rs4 billion annually.
Despite the breakthrough, Hussain said the agreement failed to address core concerns. “We were advised to call off the protest after the Islamabad talks, but we do not accept this arrangement,” he told newsman. He added; “Placing a cap of Rs4 billion and restricting imports undermines our constitutional rights and GB’s special legal status.”
He said that traders would review the agreement with their representative body before making a final decision, but insisted that the protest would continue until then. “The deal is only on paper — no statutory regulatory order (SRO) has been issued yet. Without a formal notification, there is no guarantee of implementation,” he said.
Hussain further questioned why dozens of containers stuck for months had not been cleared under the new understanding. He warned that traders were preparing a “Plan C” if the government failed to address their demands comprehensively.
According to Hussain, the current proposal “does not resolve the fundamental dispute,” and traders would consult stakeholders to deliberate on the shortcomings before deciding the next phase of their movement.
