World News | Pak: Protests Erupt Across Gilgit-Baltistan After Arrest of Awami Action Committee Leaders
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Mass protests have erupted across Gilgit-Baltistan after the arrest of five Awami Action Committee leaders, including chairman Ehsan Ali Advocate, just days ahead of a major Grand Jirga on regional rights.
Gilgit-Baltistan [Pakistan], May 16 (ANI): Tensions flared across Gilgit-Baltistan on Thursday as widespread protests broke out following the arrest of five key leaders of the Gilgit-Baltistan Awami Action Committee (ACC), including its chairman, Ehsan Ali Advocate.
The timing of the arrests, just days before a major Grand Jirga scheduled for May 26, sparked anger among supporters who saw it as a direct attempt to silence voices fighting for regional rights.
According to Dawn, demonstrations were held in Gilgit, Skardu, and Aliabad in Hunza, where protestors gathered in large numbers, chanting slogans and waving banners demanding justice. Many blocked the Karakoram Highway, a lifeline for the region, warning that they wouldn't back down until their leaders were freed.
The Grand Jirga had been expected to address long-standing concerns over the ownership and control of natural resources in the region, a deeply emotional issue for the people of GB.
The arrested leaders--Ehsan Ali Advocate, Engineer Mahboob Wali, Masoodul Rehman, Asghar Shah, and Waheed Hassan--were reportedly detained from different locations in Gilgit on Wednesday evening. As per Dawn, they were presented before an anti-terrorism court the next day, which granted police a 14-day physical remand. They are currently being held at Airport Police Station.
Dawn reported that the arrests were made under anti-terrorism laws, citing alleged hate speech and anti-state activities during recent Pakistan-India border tensions. A total of 16 ACC leaders are reportedly named in the FIR.
The ACC has denounced the arrests, calling them a political stunt to derail the jirga and suppress growing demands for local autonomy. Civil society members and rights activists are now voicing fears of a broader clampdown on peaceful political expression in the region. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)