Protest in Sost Enters Second Month; Police Step Back After Night of Unrest
SOST: The Pak-China border town of Sost witnessed a night of high tension as police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) attempted to disperse protesting traders, leading to tear gas shelling, aerial firing, stone-pelting, and unrest in the area.
The situation normalised by the morning after police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel returned to their station, though the sit-in by the Tajir Ittehad Action Committee continued for the 32nd day.
According to eyewitnesses, the confrontation began at around 4:30 am when youth from Nagar and Hunza arrived in Sost to show solidarity with the protesting traders amid rumours of an imminent operation. Clashes erupted near Dry Port Chowk, where police and FC personnel resorted to tear gas and aerial firing, while protesters allegedly retaliated by pelting stones.
Hospital sources confirmed that seven police personnel sustained minor injuries, while one driver with a head injury was referred to Gilgit for treatment. Security forces also detained four drivers from Nagar, accused of bringing convoys of supporters to the sit-in.
Protest leaders held an emergency press conference in Sost, alleging that police and FC personnel had not only fired tear gas but also opened direct fire on demonstrators during the night.
Earlier, Superintendent of Police Hunza, Capt (R) Nabeel Ahmed, told Pamir Times that there was no plan to crack down on the sit-in. He explained that the security deployment was aimed at arresting an individual accused of extorting traders at the customs and immigration facility. “We requested the sit-in organisers to hand over the accused for investigation, but they have refused,” he said.
The Tajir Action Committee has consistently pressed its two-point demand: exemption of Gilgit-Baltistan traders from taxes at the border, which they argue are unconstitutional given the region’s lack of parliamentary representation, and implementation of a one-time special scheme for around 300 containers stranded at Sost Dry Port for more than a year.
The prolonged sit-in has paralysed trade and passenger movement through Khunjerab Pass, bringing cross-border activity to a standstill. Earlier this week, traders had temporarily allowed customs and immigration operations to resume after receiving positive signals from a federal committee formed by the Prime Minister. However, following the latest tension, traders announced the re-closure of customs, immigration, and cross-border movement.
With reporting by Ahmad Ullah and Farman Karim
