GILGIT BALTISTAN UNITED MOVEMENT: August 2016

Monday, August 22, 2016

Gilgit Baltistan: Rights abuses

Gilgit Baltistan land of atrocities

For the last about three decades, hundreds of political leaders and rights defenders have faced state brutalities besides fabricated cases in the disputed territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. Ironically, with the passage of time there seems no improvement in the situation and the rights abuses go on unabated in the region. There are a number of political activists who are still behind bars simply for raising voice for the rights of the two million people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Besides, scores others are entangled in the never-ending and nerve-breaking process of facing court cases. Syed Haider Shah Rizvi, one of the most prominent nationalist leaders from Skardu, passed away while defending himself in one such concocted case.

Manzoor Parwana, the chief of the Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement, was booked in a treason case on July 28, 2011, and after the passage of about five years this case is still progressing at a snail's pace and is its initial stage. The state is deliberately trying to delay the case even though Manzoor Parwana has been very regular to pursue the matter and attends each and every hearing regularly. Mr Parwana is charged with putting the security of the country at a stake by demanding the reopening of the old Skardu-Kargil road.

Progressive youth leader Baba Jan and Iftikhar Karbalai have been awarded life imprisonment after being booked under the anti-terrorism act for raising voice and leading rallies for the rights of the people displaced by the Attabad Lake. They are at the moment languishing in the district jail of Kahguch in Ghizer.

A leader of the Ghizer Youth Congress, Tahir Ali Tahir, has also been booked in another treason case for struggling to ensure the basic rights of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Another treason case is under adjudication in the chief court of Gilgit-Baltistan against Karakorum National Movement chief Javed Hussain , Mumtaz Nagri, Taaruf Abbas and their colleagues. The Balor Research Forum leaders Engineer Amanullah and Sulatan Madad , Right activist Hidayatuual Akhtar, GBJM Chairman Shujjat Ali, Secretary General GBDA Burhan Ullah , AWP leader Wajid Ali, GBNM Chairman Dr. Ghulam Abbas and dozens of others political activists are also booked in sedition charges. They are charged with presenting a memorandum to the UN observers in the Gilgit city about the issues facing the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.

The, scores of political activists and nationalist leaders including Col retired Nadir Khan, Safdar Ali, Iftikhar Hussain, Waseem and others were rounded up by the police and put in jail for trying to hand over a memorandum to the UN observers in the city regarding the public reservations over the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Recently Muhammad Qayoom of Balawaristan National Front was sent to prison on participating in a public protest on the boundary issue with KPK. It is very disturbing to note that all these political activists and rights defenders were booked under the anti-terrorism act and treated as terror suspects for raising voice for the rights of the people of the region.

(The nationalist leaders appeared before the court in Gilgit on 20 August 2016.See the photo)