Tensions are escalating in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region amid widespread protests against perceived Chinese dominance through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), with local traders alleging that Chinese imports receive preferential treatment while their goods face heavy federal taxation, widening economic disparities. Demonstrations, which began on July 21, 2025, at the Sost Dry Port in Hunza, have persisted for over three weeks, blocking the Karakoram Highway—a vital CPEC artery—halting all Pakistan-China trade and travel since late July, stranding thousands including Chinese nationals and tourists. Protesters, backed by political, youth, and religious groups, demand the abolition of federal taxes deemed illegal due to the region’s disputed constitutional status, emphasizing a principle of no taxation without representation. The unrest follows the controversial Land Reforms Act passed on May 21, 2025, opposed for further marginalizing residents, and has paralyzed the local economy for eight months, leaving transporters, hotel owners, and shopkeepers jobless as goods worth billions remain stuck. Critics argue CPEC has turned Gilgit-Baltistan into a mere transit hub for foreign interests, undermining local employment, sovereignty, and welfare amid China’s growing regional footprint.