Skardu [POGB], Hundreds of residents of Skardu in Pakistan-occupied Gilgi Baltistan (POGB) staged a major protest over the administration's recent decision to lease out several government guest houses and forest lands to private business owners from Punjab province, a From local news outlet POGB, Scared TV reported. The local administration was leasing out 20 government rest houses and 16 public forest lands to green tourism companies. The purpose of this decision was to increase revenue from these government properties, part of which would be used on the local population of POGB. The administration also claimed that the decision was taken when it was incurring losses on the maintenance of these properties, as reported by Scared TV. However, a local leader claimed that he actively opposed the way the local administration took decisions in secret, without discussing them with local people and other POGB stakeholders.The same leader further said, “It was a wrong decision to lease out these properties, they (the administration) had issued the leasing tender without any consideration. These lands are ours and we have taken care of these lands for centuries and we We will not follow the rules of any state which is deciding to take over our lands because the local administration is nothing but a puppet administration which is elected after a fixed and rigged elections. " When a local lawyer was asked about the validity of these land leasing contracts, he said that although the government has the right to lease out all government land, there is a proper legal process for it. “The government undoubtedly has the right to lease out all government lands, but there is proper legal process.In this case, the government would have entered into the contract on the basis of open tender. As of now, we know that a huge rest house was leased at a very low price of PKR 29000 (USD 104)," he said. He added, "Additionally, forest land was also leased for PKR 35 per day like a canal. were leased at low prices. And if such contracts were awarded on the basis of open tender, local businessmen would have offered much more competitive prices for the same land." The lawyer further stressed that many of these lands do not even belong to the government and are basically owned by the local people of the area. There were grasslands.have been given back to the real owners which has not been followed and if the government does not honor the documented deals then we will go to court because these lands will not be used by private traders to make profits nor for the benefit of the local people. People for welfare," he said. Earlier, the same issue was raised by an opposition leader in the POGB assembly, saying "We want to protect our lands. Today when anyone in power here announces that POGB is suffering huge economic losses, he will lease out our lands to industrialists or non-native entities so that they can earn profits for 30 years. He stressed that today, the situation here has worsened and the forests are no longer safe. It takes years, it is a matter of about three generations and more.Let us know if PoGB is for sale, and we'll get back to you. Today, the situation has become worse and our forests are no longer safe,” he said, adding, “Why did the forest department build questionable guest houses in POGB? Are you doing business in your domain? These guest houses were constructed due to some special requirements. And now these guest houses are being sold to the industrialists of Punjab province and along with them our beautiful forests are also being sold", he said. The opposition leader said that the POGB people have sold that land to a rich businessman. No nourishment and protection.Punjab Province Whoever sets up their business on that land, "Please leave that land," he urged, "Another piece of forest, Whye Park, is being given to business owners, promising that they will profit. 50 percent will be given to the government. Now do you think that any money received from these profits will reach the common people?