A dire wheat shortage is gripping Gilgit-Baltistan, leading to widespread distress and intensifying public frustration with Islamabad. Residents across the region, from Gilgit city to remote villages, are spending hours waiting for subsidized wheat, a lifeline during the severe winter months, often returning empty-handed. The scarcity has been mounting for weeks, and local traders report a significant increase in market prices, making the staple grain unaffordable for many.
Community leaders and everyday citizens alike are voicing concerns that this shortage is not a mere accident but a symptom of a deeper, systemic neglect. They argue that Gilgit-Baltistan, already denied full political representation, is consistently underserved when essential resources become scarce. This winter’s wheat crisis is viewed as another instance of the region bearing the brunt of national resource management failures. The food insecurity is compounded by persistent electricity blackouts, crippling businesses and disrupting the lives of students preparing for crucial exams, despite the region’s role as a major hydropower producer.
The fundamental issue, many locals believe, lies in the region’s governance framework. Operating outside Pakistan’s constitution, without representation in federal legislative bodies or access to the Supreme Court, Gilgit-Baltistan faces decisions about its resources made in distant administrative centers. This lack of local autonomy fuels a perception of being exploited for resources while basic needs are unmet.
Civil society groups have pointed out that the federal government’s inaction on numerous warnings from local administrations about dwindling wheat stocks exacerbated the current crisis. Instead of increasing supply shipments, residents claim, they received vague reassurances and were told of transportation delays. The growing severity of the shortage has spurred public demonstrations, with citizens demanding the restoration of subsidized supplies and accountability for the irregular distribution. Elderly residents have spoken of the deeply concerning experience of failing to secure basic food staples, a hardship that was less common even in previous lean years.
Many protesters connect the current food crisis to a broader pattern of governance that they believe disadvantages Gilgit-Baltistan. This includes land acquisition for development projects without adequate compensation, export of hydropower while locals face power outages, and the execution of major projects without local consultation. They see these actions as evidence of a governance model that prioritizes strategic and economic importance over the basic welfare of its people. For families in Gilgit-Baltistan, the immediate concern is survival through the winter. With no clear governmental response or plan, the fear is that the situation will deteriorate further. After years of unfulfilled promises, many believe the current crisis underscores the reality of their limited political voice, leading to hardship in obtaining basic necessities.