Gilgit Baltistan: Free Shabbir Mayar, the political leader of GB

Skardu (Press Release) 19 April 2026

Shabbir Mayar, Chief Organizer of the Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement, was arrested from a local hotel in Gilgit, Baltistan Inn, and detained at the JIT Center Gilgit. Shabbir Mayar had come from Skardu to Gilgit for medical treatment. On the night of April 16, 2026 law enforcement agencies took him into custody and transferred him to an undisclosed location. The Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement strongly condemned this action, calling his arrest state oppression. Such measures are a conspiracy to alienate the new generation of Gilgit-Baltistan from the Government of Pakistan. Shabbir Mayar has unjustly been placed on the Fourth Schedule for eight years to restrict his political activities and travel. Shabbir Mayar is a strong and powerful voice of the oppressed and marginalized people of Gilgit-Baltistan, and his repeated arrest reflects increasing political pressure in the region. He has been arrested to prevent him from participating in the forthcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan in next month so that he cannot campaign on public issues. Leaders of the United Movement have demanded that the government immediately release Comrade Shabbir Mayar and refrain from any unlawful actions against him. They warned that if his release is delayed, a full-scale protest movement will be launched. Issued by Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement Central Secretariat Skardu

GILGIT BALTISTAN UNITED MOVEMENT CHIEF ORGANIZER ARRESTED IN GILGIT MIDNIGHT

گلگت (خصوصی رپورٹ) — گلگت بلتستان یونائیٹڈ مومنٹ کے چیف آرگنائزر کامریڈ شبیر میار کو گلگت کے ایک مقامی ہوٹل، بلتستان ان، سے گرفتار کر لیا گیا۔ ذرائع کے مطابق کامریڈ شبیر میار اپنے علاج کی غرض سے گلگت آئے ہوئے تھے جب قانون نافذ کرنے والے اداروں نے انہیں حراست میں لیا۔ سیاسی و سماجی حلقوں نے اس اقدام کی شدید مذمت کی ہے۔ مختلف رہنماؤں اور کارکنان کا کہنا ہے کہ کامریڈ شبیر میار گلگت بلتستان کے محکوم اور مظلوم عوام کی ایک مضبوط اور توانا آواز ہیں، اور ان کی گرفتاری علاقے میں بڑھتی ہوئی سیاسی دباؤ کی عکاسی کرتی ہے۔ یونائیٹڈ مومنٹ کے کارکنان نے حکومت سے مطالبہ کیا ہے کہ کامریڈ شبیر میار کو فوری طور پر رہا کیا جائے اور ان کے خلاف کسی بھی قسم کی غیر قانونی کارروائی سے گریز کیا جائے۔ انہوں نے خبردار کیا کہ اگر ان کی رہائی میں تاخیر کی گئی تو بھرپور احتجاجی تحریک شروع کی جا سکتی ہے۔ دوسری جانب حکومتی ذرائع کی جانب سے اس گرفتاری پر تاحال کوئی باضابطہ مؤقف سامنے نہیں آیا۔ انسانی حقوق کی تنظیموں نے بھی واقعے کا نوٹس لیتے ہوئے شفاف تحقیقات کا مطالبہ کیا ہے

Gilgit-Baltistan student leader forcibly disappeared in Islamabad

The Chairperson Amnesty International SOS- Gilgit-Baltistan student leader forcibly disappeared in Islamabad We would like to draw your attention to an important humanitarian issue that the President of the Punjab Division of the Baltistan Students Federation (BSF), Aun Muhammad Baltistani, was picked up by plainclothes security forces from his residence Jasmine Garden Islamabad on March 28, 2026, along with his two real-brothers, Najamuddin Jalali and Mohammad Zakariya Mutahri. Aun Muhammad Baltistani has been forcibly disappeared, and has been missing for several days. The forced disappearance of the student leader is a clear violation of the constitution and law, this forced disappearance has made thousands of students of Gilgit-Baltistan studying in Pakistan insecure and their parents worried about their children. There is strong resentment among the people of Gilgit-Baltistan over the forced disappearance of the student leader, Shabir Mayar, chief organizer of the Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement (GBUM), has strongly condemned the forced disappearance of Aun Muhammad Baltistani, calling it an alleged violation of human rights and demanded his immediate release. Aun Muhammad Baltistani is 25 years old. He belongs to the border area of Baltistan, is a doctor by profession and does not belong to any religious group, but he always tries to solve the problems of students of Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan. He always talk about peace, brotherhood and regional issues. ( https://web.facebook.com/aun.muhammad.16547)

There are already thousands of cases of forced disappearance and extra-constitutional abduction and killing of people in Pakistan, after Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the forced disappearance of a student from Gilgit-Baltistan has worried two million unconstitutional citizens of Gilgit-Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan's indigenous political party Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement ( GBUM) has demanded the government of Pakistan to immediately release Aun Muhammad Baltistani and if he is accused of any kind, he should be produced in court and given the right to self-defense. The Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement calls upon organizations working on human rights and enforced disappearances within Pakistan and internationally to raise their voice for the safe recovery of Aun Mohammad Baltistani and contribute to ending the distress and public anxiety of his parents by securing his release. Shabbir Mayar The chief organizer Gilgit Baltistan United Movement, Skardu Baltistan 5 April 226

Misuse of Anti-Terrorism Laws in Gilgit Baltistan

Misuse of Anti-Terrorism Laws in Gilgit Baltistan The government of Pakistan is enacting the Anti-Terrorism Act 1976 to take action against terrorists and banned organizations in Pakistan, but the government has been misusing this law against nationalist political leaders and human rights and social media activists of Gilgit Baltistan since June 21, 2018. Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has confirmed in its report 2020 that the government of Pakistan is misusing the Anti-Terrorism Act to harass political and human rights activists in Gilgit Baltistan. There are 36 persons placed in the proscribed person list, the majority of them are political and social activists raising voice for the rights of Gilgit Baltistan. For the last six years, government secret agencies have also been negotiating with various people to remove their names from Schedule IV.Many people have been withdrawn from the Schedule Forth after a secret deal and a pledge was taken from them that they will not do any kind of politics on the national issues of Gilgit Baltistan and will live a life of anonymity. The imposing of ATA Schedule IV on peaceful political workers and social media activists contradict the provisions of the Geneva Convention and the Constitution of Pakistan, which allegedly deprive people of the right to vote, the right to organize, the right to expression, the right to employment and the right to freedom. The prominent political leaders and right activists are still being placed on Schedule fourh to suppress their leadership skills by weakening them economically and keeping them away from the struggle for people's rights. The Chairman and Chief Organizer of Gilgit Baltistan United Movement are among them, who are constantly being placed in schedule forth to suppress their struggle for the rights of the enslaved people of Gilgit Baltistan . All the persons included in schedule four have had their bank accounts frozen, identity cards blocked and passports confiscated and their political activities banned. They are not allowed to run business or services. Their families are badly suffering and children are being force to left the schools. The Anti-Terrorism Law cannot be implemented in a disputed region under any circumstances constitutionally and legally, the purpose of the application of this law is only to crush the people's resistance movement against the colonial system in the disputed region. Actions against Political leaders and Social Activists by Misusing Schedule 4th Hunza: Hasnain Ramal hailing from Hunza a social media activist has been arrested on June 2021 and sent jail on posting a public issue on facebook. Earlier Ramal’s name was put on Schedule 4 of the # ATA to make ground to arrest him. He was under trail in Anti Terrorism Court last 8 years on posting political, national and basic human rights’ issues of Gilgit Baltistan on social media. SKARDU: Young lawyer and activist and leader Asif Naji, and GBUM activist Shabbir Mayar were arrested by law enforcement agencies on 7 September 2018.Both were put in schedule 4 of the Anti-Terrorist Act before arrestment. Skardu : Nationalist leader Manzoor Parwana ( Chairman GBUM) was arrested on 1st July 2021 on a post in social media against FWO ,an army construction company on illegal land grabbing and damaging public property on Juglote Skardu road. He was imprisoned then got bail from court; he is under trial in the ATA court last 4 years for justice. Kharmang : Shabbir Mayar Chief Organizer GBUM was arrested on 19th October 2023 . His arrest comes in the wake of the sealing of Central Secretariat of Gilgit Baltistan United Movement by the authorities in Skardu. The administration sealed the Central Secretariat of GBUM later arrested the chief organizer and sent jail with charged that he did not follow schedule 4th restriction. Nagar: The social media activist Yawar Abbas from Nagar, Gilgit Baltistan arrested on 22 June 2024, accused to "maintain public order." The order accuses Yawar Abbas of "instigating" the public against various institutions and had previously been placed on the controversial "Schedule 4" list. The Deputy Commissioner has decreed that Yawar Abbas be held for 30 days at Minawar Jail in Gilgit. ISSUED Muhammad Iqbal Secreatry General Gilgit Baltistan United Movement Gilgit Baltistan. References

Gilgit-Baltistan: The Second Baluchistan

Gilgit-Baltistan: The Second Baluchistan For the past seven decades, Gilgit-Baltistan has been a victim of governmental oppression, primarily due to its disputed status between Pakistan and India. This region, a part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, is under the colonial administrative control of the Government of Pakistan, which is managed collectively by the civilian and military establishment through a presidential order. The people here are completely deprived of their national identity and basic human rights, and are also lacking fundamental facilities such as water, electricity, education, health, and justice. Considering the geographical and regional significance of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Government of Pakistan is rapidly working to change the demographics of this region. Recently, the State Subject Rules were abolished in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, and a new land law called the Land Reform Act has been introduced, which is against the centuries-old customary laws here. According to this law, the forests, minerals, mountains, pastures, tourist spots, and glaciers of Gilgit-Baltistan have been declared government property, to pave the way for settling non-state individuals in this region. In response to these illegal and anti-people measures, nationalist, progressive, and other religious parties of Gilgit-Baltistan announced a national Jirga on May 24, 2025. To suppress any potential public backlash and resistance movement, the government has arrested key leaders of the Gilgit-Baltistan Awami Action Committee. So far, thirteen leaders are in captivity, while hundreds of leaders and activists are in hiding due to being named in FIRs. Among the arrested leaders are Ehsan Ali Advocate, the Chairman of the Awami Action Committee, Mehboob Wali,the leader AACGB , Mumtaz Nagri and Taaruf Abbas Advocate of the Karakoram National Movement, , President of the Traders Association of Gilgit-Baltistan Masood ur Rehman, Nafis Ahmed Advocate and Irfan Azad, leaders of the Baltistan National Front Sher Nadir Shahi Advocate leader of the Awami Workers Party and well-known nationalist leader Aslam Inqilabi, while Shabbir Mayar, Chief Organizer of the Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement, has been kept under house arrest in his village. All these political leaders have been charged with treason and terrorism. The Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan announced during an assembly session that those opposing the Land Reform Act and the Minerals Mines Act would be hanged, which has increased the gravity of the situation. Amid the celebrations of Pakistan's victory in the war against India, the arrest of national and political leaders of Gilgit-Baltistan has spread unrest among the people, and cases of treason and terrorism are also being filed against those protesting for the release of the arrested leaders, prompting women to take the lead in protests. Recently, hundreds of women took to the streets in Gilgit city demanding the release of their loved ones and leaders. These protests indicate a situation in Gilgit-Baltistan similar to that of Balochistan, where a struggle for the control of natural resources is ongoing. Just as men have been disappeared in Balochistan while women take to the streets, in Gilgit-Baltistan, men are being arrested, and women have come out demanding their release. The Gilgit-Baltistan Awami Action Committee has called for a protest on June 6, 2025, and the public is preparing for resistance, while the government has also hinted at suppressing public resistance by force. Gilgit-Baltistan, located at the convergence of four nuclear nations and being the largest source of fresh water, is becoming increasingly significant. Gilgit-Baltistan is essential for the survival of Pakistan, China, India, and Afghanistan, thus the tug-of-war over Gilgit-Baltistan may once again heighten the chances of war among neighboring countries. The people of Gilgit-Baltistan desire to see this region as a buffer state so that all neighboring countries can protect its natural resources and develop its ancient trade routes, bringing economic prosperity to their countries. This aligns with the universally accepted principle of "live and let live." However, the situation for local people in Gilgit-Baltistan is becoming increasingly constrained day by day. It is crucial to take the gravity of this situation seriously; otherwise, the possibility of changes in the current geographical boundaries of Gilgit-Baltistan cannot be ruled out. The Writer is a freelance journalist and political and social leader of Gilgit Baltistan

Protest against GBUM Chief Shabbir Mayar in Gilgit Baltistan

GBUM- Central Secretariat Banned for 2 years