Opposition parties are planning large-scale protests after the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government has opted to raise the subsidised wheat price from Rs20 to Rs32 per kg, media reports said.

The GB cabinet session, presided over by Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan in Skardu on Friday, led to this controversial decision, reported Dawn News.

GB Finance Minister Mohammad Ismail, in a press conference with cabinet members, explained that the price adjustment was necessary to address the shortage of subsidised wheat in the region, the newspaper reported.

“Wheat subsidy will be provided to families having an income of less than Rs40,000, government officials above grade 17, and people having above R40,000 per month will not be entitled to subsidised wheat, the cabinet had decided,” he said.

The federal government allocates Rs9.5bn annually for the procurement of 1.6 million sacks of wheat, but the funds fall short as the wheat rates surge, leading to a shortage in the region.