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agencies have also been negotiating with various people to remove their names from Schedule IV.Many people have been withdrawn from the Schedule Forth after a secret deal and a pledge was taken from them that they will not do any kind of politics on the national issues of Gilgit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 1. https://www.newsintervention.com/pakistan-air-force-grabs-public-land-in-skardu-arrests-protesting-locals/ 2. https://pamirtimes.net/2021/06/28/hrcp-concerned-about-continuation-of-status-quo-in-Gilgit Baltistan/ 3. https://pamirtimes.net/2018/09/07/vocal-activists-asif-naji-and-shabbir-mayar-arrested-in-skardu/ 4. https://www.newsintervention.com/pogb-protests-against-the-arrest-of-shabbir-mayar-by-pak-backed-officials/#google_vignette 5. https://www.instagram.com/ibexmedianetwork/p/C8g9fHGN95o/