Prolonged Lawyer Strike Puts Gilgit-Baltistan Justice on Hold

Lawyers in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan maintain a ten-month strike demanding judicial reforms. This protest, initiated to advocate for judicial appointments and the enforcement of land reforms, has disrupted the legal system, leaving over 11,000 cases unresolved and affecting both litigants and lawyers financially.

In Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan, lawyers have persisted with their extended strike since November 2024, demanding judicial appointments, land reform, and institutional restructuring. This ten-month-long protest has stalled the region's legal processes, plunging thousands of litigants into uncertainty.

Advocate Sher Alam, Vice President of the Supreme Appellate Court Bar, highlighted the root of the strike: the need for judicial appointments and the enforcement of the Land Reform Act. Since 2011, promises to grant one acre of land to each lawyer remain unfulfilled. The Supreme Appellate Court lacks necessary quorums, with over 11,000 cases unresolved, including appeals where individuals await verdicts post-sentence. Despite directives issued by the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, no significant action has been undertaken.

The strike has brought PoGB’s judicial system to a standstill, impacting regular litigants and financial stability of lawyers, who depend on daily earnings. With regular courts non-operational, civil judges face overwhelming workloads. Lawyers reiterate the necessity of establishing special courts to manage the backlog and ensure justice. They pledge continued non-violent protests until demands are met, emphasizing the strike's reflection of public needs rather than personal gain.