Outrage in G-B as PM links mineral resources to IMF loan repayment

GILGIT: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is facing strong backlash from political leaders and civil society in Gilgit-Baltistan following his recent remarks linking the region’s mineral reserves to writing off the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans.

“Allah Almighty has blessed Pakistan with abundant natural resources across the rocky ranges of Balochistan, the snow-peaked mountains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the pristine summits of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the valleys of Sindh, and the plains of Punjab. If we are able to harness these great assets, I can say without any contradiction that Pakistan will say goodbye to IMF programmes,” the premier said during his address at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 (PMIF25).

After this statement, political and religious leaders and civil society activists in Gilgit-Baltistan have expressed their reservations. They argue that the prime minister’s remarks overlook the concerns and rights of the local population, who have long demanded greater control over the region’s natural resources.

Many believe that Gilgit-Baltistan is a disputed territory and such activities, especially those involving large-scale resource extraction a violation of their political and territorial rights.

Opposition Leader in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, Kazim Mesam, voiced strong objections to the federal government’s mineral policies, warning that the region was being pushed toward crisis. “We have been raising our voices against leasing out our mountains for over a year, but our protests were dismissed as politically motivated,” he stated.

He revealed that the leasing process was already underway for around 50 locations in the Skardu district, while over 20 sites in Kharmang, including areas in Gultari, had also been listed for lease. “In my own constituency, the government diverted public attention by transferring a schoolteacher, while simultaneously leasing out more than five sites in Sadpara and Gamba,” he added.

Rejecting the current leasing policy outright, Mesam said it lacks transparency and community involvement. “The government is deceiving the people by halting local miners while quietly selling off the mountains to outside interests,” he claimed. Mesam said if the voices of public representatives and opposition benches are ignored, they would publish a white paper exposing the series of events since July 5.

“It is deeply regrettable that the ruling parties are willingly contributing to the destruction of this region. If this land and its people belong to us, so does its politics and leadership. Otherwise, we are witnessing what has happened in places like Palestine,” he added. He vowed that they would stand in the way of anyone trying to sell G-B land at any cost.

In a strongly worded statement, the Awami Action Committee Gilgit-Baltistan—an alliance of political, religious, and nationalist parties—also condemned the federal government’s mineral policy. The committee asserted that “no colonial-era bureaucrat or powerless Chief Minister has the right to sell off Gilgit-Baltistan’s mineral resources to imperialist Chinese companies at throwaway prices.”

They emphasized that the authority to decide the fate of the region’s wealth and natural resources rests solely with the hardworking people of Gilgit-Baltistan. “The resources of this land belong to its people, and any decision regarding them must reflect their will—not be dictated by external forces,” the committee declared.

Member of the Gilgit-Baltistan Council Sheikh Ahmed Ali Noori also expressed strong opposition to the federal government’s stance. In a statement, he declared that the mineral resources buried in the mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan are the rightful property of its people. “We will not allow traitors to bargain away Gilgit-Baltistan under the guise of land reforms or so-called green tourism initiatives,” he said.

Noori warned that anti-people policies would be challenged at every forum. “The federal government and its coalition partners, who have announced plans to sell off Gilgit-Baltistan’s mineral wealth, must clearly state where they stand—are they with the people of this region or with those seeking to exploit it for profit? Protecting every inch of Gilgit-Baltistan is our religious duty,” he added.

Member of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly Colonel (R) Obaid also rejected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s proposal to utilise Gilgit-Baltistan’s mineral resources for national economic recovery.

“We categorically reject the suggestion made by the ‘Form-47’ Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, to sell off Gilgit-Baltistan’s mineral wealth,” he said in a statement. “The valuable resources and minerals of Gilgit-Baltistan are a sacred trust of its people. We will not allow anyone to unconstitutionally and undemocratically bargain away our lands and resources. This land is a trust passed down to us by our forefathers, and we will protect every single particle of it.”

Anjuman-e-Imamia President Agha Baqir, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen G-B chapter president Agha Ali Rizvi, Imam Jumma Skardu Allama Sheikh Muhammad Hassan Jafri and many other others have rejected the statement.