Markets shuttered in Gilgit-Baltistan as traders protest new food laws

Fakhruddin, president of the Anjuman-e-Tajiran, led the charge against the government, accusing officials of backtracking on earlier promises that the Food Act would not be enforced in the territory. He noted that the business community has faced a relentless series of administrative pressures, pointing to a previous week-long strike against withholding taxes as evidence of their resolve.

Fakhruddin specifically criticized the Pakistan Peoples Party, noting that expectations for the administration to protect vulnerable citizens have soured since they assumed power. He urged regional authorities to abandon these restrictive measures, warning that the current policy path threatens to collapse the livelihoods of local residents rather than providing the necessary economic relief.