Students to boycott Gilgit-Baltistan polls over fee scheme

Karakoram University students staged a protest in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit against the discontinuation of PM's Fee Reimbursement Scheme. They raised slogans against Imran Khan government and threatened to boycott the Assembly polls on November 15.

Gilgit-Baltistan: Students of Karakoram University held a massive protest in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit on Thursday against the discontinuation of Prime Minister's Fee Reimbursement Scheme.

The scheme was introduced in 2011 for the students from Least Developed Areas but discontinued two years ago without any prior information.

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The students chanted slogans against Prime Minister Imran Khan's government and threatened to boycott the assembly elections on November 15 in the occupied region.

A protesting female student said: "We have decided to boycott November 15 assembly elections because the votes are given to those who solve the issues of the public. But, these people are not ready to listen to us. If our issues are resolved before polling then we are ready to vote, if not, then we will also ask our family members to boycott the elections."

Another student protester said, "The government should be ashamed that the students are sitting on the road. This scheme was deliberately withdrawn so that these students do not study and remain illiterate. They know that if they get higher studies, they will create troubles for Islamabad."

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The literacy rate in Pakistan occupied Gilgit Baltistan is very low where only a few universities and colleges exist.

The people of the region have accused Islamabad of ill-treating the people in Gilgit Baltistan.

ANI