Gilgit City [PoGB], August 2 : Several locals of Gilgit City in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB) organised a protest on Friday near the Gilgit airport raising their concerns over the non-issuance of compensation for the land they had contributed for the construction of the Gilgit Airport in 1948, Pamir Times reported.
Reportedly, the airport land affectees have been continuously demanding this which is pending since 1948. Now the residents of Gilgit City who had given lands to the government, have been protesting for several days and are calling on the government to fulfil its promises.
According to the Pamir Times report, the residents highlighted that they have received over 12 decisions in their favor for getting compensation, and yet the government has not taken any serious action to resolve this issue. They expressed their frustration over the issue and threatened to suspend airport operations if the compensation is not released soon.
The protesters also criticized the local administration for not forwarding the required summary of the compensation to the relevant authorities as directed in the previous orders. A local leader in the Pamir Times report mentioned "In 1948 the government had taken these lands from us for the development of PoGB. At that time more than 128 families of PoGB had sacrificed their lands, and several of them preferred migration from PoGB instead of waiting for the compensation. We have raised several requests to people sitting in all positions of power and most of the time they have given their decisions in our favour".
The statement of the local leader further mentioned "In 1986 a promise was made that the government has allotted lands for us in some other region. But the local government of that place once again betrayed us, as they undertook the lands but never allotted them to those families who deserved them. Now we are forced to take harsh steps, as no one is listening. This time they have arranged a meeting with us and have made the same promises, but this time if they do not fulfil their promises then we will ensure that this protest continues and grows further"
A protestor explained that his ancestors had also given their lands for the development of PoGB but such delay in compensation is unheard of as decades have passed and yet no authorities have listened to their demands. He in the Pamir Times report added " They must not take our protests lightly, as we plan to expand this protest if the government does not fulfill our demands. And we are capable enough to encircle the airport if our compensation is not given. As our lands still are situated around the Gilgit Airport".
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