Gilgit-Baltistan is in the grip of a wheat shortage that has unsettled households across the region and fuelled a fresh wave of anger against Islamabad. Long before sunrise, people can be seen waiting outside ration shops with empty bags and tokens, hoping the latest truck has enough grain for everyone. Most days, it doesn't.

Over the past several weeks, subsidised wheat — a lifeline during the harsh winter — has become difficult to secure. Families in Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza and several smaller towns say the crisis has made even basic meals uncertain. Local traders confirm that market prices have climbed sharply, putting the staple out of reach for many.

Residents argue the shortage is not an accident. Several community groups claim the cuts are part of a pattern in which Gilgit-Baltistan

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