Pakistan

Armed "labourers" attack Hussaini and Borit Villages of Gojal Valley, break into houses

Woman faints seeing his son beaten up at Borit village, Motorcycle torched 

Administration fails to stop the fight, several labourers critically injured

Clashes started between two groups of labourers, belonging to Nagar and Gojal, and spread to the region

People of Hunza – Nagar condemn the mafia violence, demand justice and equal opportunity

PT Report

Hussaini/Aliabad/Gilgit, August 6: A group of more than 300 men, many of them heavily armed, attacked the Hussaini and Borit Village of Gojal Valley today. The heavily armed “labourers” shot in the air and surrounded the Hussaini Village, while pelting stones on houses and women who were busy in daily chores.

The attackers came in retaliation to an earlier fight between two groups near the Hussaini Village, in which around 15 labourers belonging to one of the groups were severely beaten and injured. A large number of local youth, who were busy playing a volley tournament, had joined the fight and harshly beaten the non-local labourers.

After the initial clash rumours spread in the entire region and hundreds of labourers from Sost, Attabad spillway and Nagar started to move towards Hussaini Village to teach the local labourers a lesson. The labourers coming from Sost were stopped at Passu but enraged and armed mobs reached Hussaini from Attabad and started indiscriminate aerial firing. 

The police force completely failed to calm down the situation, due to lack of men-in-uniform.

A group of the armed attackers took position on Borith village, located above Hussaini and kept firing in the air. At Borith, a tiny hamlet, the attackers broke into two houses and severely beat up a guy named Fareed, son of a local hotel owner. Mother of Fareed could not bear the merciless beating of her unarmed son at the hands of the gang and fainted. When she was being taken to a hospital in the vehicle of SP Tufail, the mob also attacked the vehicle and reportedly roughed up the senior police official, along with Fareed and other people present in the vehicle. The heavily armed attackers came in boats from spillway of the dammed Hunza River.

Several police officials were beaten up early in the day when the two groups had started fighting each other. Windows of police vehicles had also been smashed by the attackers.

The people of Hussaini and adjacent villagers were afraid due to the attack and there was an extreme sense of insecurity in the entire region. It is pertinent to note that people of Gojal Valley had voluntarily handed over their licensed and non-licensed weapons to the government some years ago, so there was no retaliatory firing from the besieged, unarmed, people.

Local leaders and officials of the administration tried to pacify the feuding groups but remained unsuccessful. The negotiations continued late into the night, without much positive result.

Hunza: A group of people protesting in Aliabad Hunza to condemn the violence in Gojal Valley

Protests in Aliabad Hunza

A demonstration was held in Aliabad Hunza to protest against the attack on Hussaini and Borit Village. A group of youth gathered at the main Karakuram Highway in Aliabad and burnt tyres to register their protest against the failure of the government and administration to control the situation and protect the unarmed people of Hussaini Village.

Coordination efforts in Gilgit 

A delegation of the Gilgit based people of Gojal Valley have forwarded an application to the Force Commander of FCNA, informing him about the incident.

Political Solution 

Political leaders of Hunza – Nagar gathered at Karimabad to discuss the issue and find a peaceful solution. Speaker GBLA, Wazir Baig, and other MLAs from Hunza and Nagar were also present at the meeting.

Appeals for peace and dialogue 

Majority of the people in Gojal Valley and other parts of Hunza – Nagar have condemned the violence and urged the administration to ensure better law and order situation in the region.

Social and political leaders, officials of the administration and ordinary people of the region have said that violence and unrest are not going to solve any of the issues or grievances.

Justice and equal opportunity are the way forward, leaders told told the enraged youth in Hussaini, while trying to calm down the situation. The youth were urged the to not resort to violence for finding solutions to issues.

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34 Comments

  1. Very sad…..we were trying to portrait Hunza as the most peacful area in Pakistan…and whats happening there…sorry to say but why Hunza people allowed first these criminals and mafia to enter there and now when they are settled down there and settled there business on the lake …the problems begin…For God sake i request to your community to through them out (the outsiders e.g. …..etc) from Hunza. Please try to understand …aap badnaam ho rahay hain….

  2. i really do not appericate what has happend! but there must be some misunderstanding behind it. we should handle it peacefully and in a civilized which is our identity. and i also request the team pamirtimes to please handle the news keeping the extreme respectability in your mind, because now what you publish millions of people see it daily around the world. please dont go that much specific just give the solution. too many Hunza and gojalez and even non-resedidents of Hunza work really Hard to potrate the Positive image of Gilgit-Baltistan specificaly Hunza Valley. So I request again to See it with more Diversifyed Way!

  3. what you sow, is what you reap! HEAVILY ARMED laborers in HUNZA? wow!!! good going! maybe we should re-name the place gojal-lyari! what do you say mr. kamil jan?

    1. Uyom you get a chance and you politicize it.. It is time to think about the actual problem instead of politicizing it and blaming some one or favouring some one.

  4. boht afsos ho raha hai ki ye criminals hamare poraman ilaqe tak pohnch gaye or hamare qanoon lagoo karne wale idare nazar nhi aye… in criminals ko gojal k sarzameen se foran nikal deni chahye or nagar k logon ka gojal mai dakhla mamnoo qarar di jaey…govent se apeal hai ki

  5. The people of Gojal Valley shall realize that from now on they are on their own. Don’t expect any support from anywhere.

    Well done to the local youth to stand against Nagarkutz smuggling mafia, led by Mirza Hussain, Javed Hussain and Muhammad Ali Akhtar.

    Give peace a chance, try to negotiate a way out but beat them again, if they do badmaashi next time. Some people just can’t understand the language of love and respect. Give them what they deserve

  6. A Waking call for the people of Gojal, Why we become so innocent before the criminals, why we trust the law enforcement agencies who are not neutral, why we are still un armed. Now we have to make a tit for tat and let see what happens. When the People of Husaini have arms with them then a………then next time the criminals will think hundred times before going to the land of angels.

  7. This is a serious issues all the GOJALI ( Upper Hunzai) should consider, being pur-aman does not mean to be Begarat…….otherwise vultures and dogs will bite you off and on…..Shame for YOU …they entered your HOMES…….

    1. Hunzai Tiger the Nagar Kutz had entered your homes decades ago and now are settled there and in controll of your Ali Abad markets .. they have built a mosque for you too..
      I would rather say SHAME ON YOU!!!
      for making such an illeterate comment against brothers of your own community and shame on your thoughts..
      This shows what is in your heart for the Gojaliz. If you have the guts why dont you come with your original name instead of using this big title..

      games, utorrentt

  8. well guys do not get afraid of this what we have been experiencing for the last two days …

    two sentences think on it and then decide…
    1st — Nager is a No Go area and you event cant think to visit Nagar area for any reason
    but
    2nd—-they same people came with their blanket ,pillows and guns and doing their business in the residential areas where almost 40 to 50 local female students passing through that area and going to different schools and these are our sisters and its our prime responsibility to provide them safe way and peaceful environment which is more important then the business takes place through that route ,,,,,,,,,
    .and in my opinion it is the last two sentences for and think on gethen decide….and in my opinion it is the last stage where we should take a final decision to show our strength ,,,,and must not forget ,,,,might is right….very openly i am saying the youth of Gojal needs to be trained to face such extremism and mishaps …get united first against those local leaders who gave entry to such people…..then strengthen your mother land the beautiful Gojal….

  9. indeed its totally criminal act to enter our village with arms and beat the villagers as a revenge..Know gojalis should keep guns with them .you can’t expect from these nagar ppl who can do wt they want …….great job by the youth ….atleast you have taught them lesson . know they ll measure the price before entering gojal…..

  10. dear All

    we shoud try to solve this issue.this is not a very big issue.we dnt need
    the politcal ledrs,i mean MQM,PPP,PMLN, we should solve this problems in
    our camonity base,we dnt need the help of anyone and i think not all gojali’s involve inthis problem,i request the volinteers of gojal to solve this issue,
    i request from the visiters that dnt make it a very big problem,i think we see our past than give comments,
    regards
    Intezor Ali Nabi

  11. Dear Youth

    come forward and try to solve the problem.Only the young youth can solve the problem it is not time to play nasty politics in the region we don’t know any party we are one Hunza Gojal we

  12. Now this is the final Alarms for Gojal Youth!!!!

    DO YOU REMEMBER THAT MANY YEARS BACK POLIC TOOK ALL OUR SIMILER GUNS!!! NOW WHAT YOU HAVE?? HOW YOU WILL PROTCT YOUR HOME & FAMILY!!!

    But must think for the future of gojal and new gengerations betterment… we must learnd from these such things happend in our home doors….. We axpect from our elders, leaders, young youths, sisters and moth…ers remind and remind ourselves that how we protect our heart land / homes…. in the future we can’t stay in peace like this situations… if we are anable keep weapons but we can agrement with govt to give us the security to protct the people. Now we need unity only unity…. But we must washout our different aims of group…..(tik, vik etc.)……

  13. well its an ct of terror to attack the villagers and these labours might have some support from somewhere. but the local news paper baadishumal says some different story on the issue i dont know why first the local people attacked the outside labours, thats the reason they need some oppurtunity to create law and order sitution in the gojal region. these people are taking advantage from the situation of depressed gojalis due to the attabad lake.
    its better to be in peace but i think everyone has the right to defend themselves so the local villagers need to defend themselves at any situation.
    Good luck for peace.

    1. Dear Khan

      The reporter for Daily BS (u know the meaning of this slang, right!!!), knwn as GM Shamiri, is known for his yellow journalism. He is trying to defend the smuggler mafia by putting the blame on the unarmed local youth.

      Don’t fall to his follies. Ask your family in Gojal, if you want to know the reality. Why has no other newspaper published the Daily BS version of the story?

  14. Youth of gojal have to be unite and face this problem.We have let these people to come to our area for trade purpose now they are trying to rule us.As in Subcontinent the Britishers came for trade and they ruled all over subcontinent for many years.
    Be unite and through these dust out of peaceful Gojal.

  15. Its really a stumbling act which the people of Nagar have done in GOJAL. The people of Gojal are peace loving but now we have realized that we should have weapons in our homes for self protection and act against such type of people who dont want Gojal to be a peaceful valley. I am proud of the youth of Gojal that they have become united and controlled the situation without using any weapon.

  16. The cause of big conflicts are the cause of such tinny fighting. If we look at the issue, it is only and only because of some business jealously or any other financial matters. Then these people involve and add some more religious and areas issues.

    It is sorry to say that Gilgit-Baltistan people fight for such issues for long time.

    Particularly in this issue, either culprit belongs to Gojal or Nager, those must be brought to justice and educated people must think as Gilgiti pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez. If some of the self interested Gojalies think that there they can only do business than it their misunderstanding. It is open market and one has to compete by using innovation to their business and giving better facilities to the customer.

    Likewise If some involved people from Nager think that they have weapon and with the help of weapon they will oppressed the peaceful community they they also misunderstand. We as a Gilgiti have been experiencing horrible events in Gilgit and now every one can feel what has happened to Gilgit.

    I am sure some politicians will take advantage and paint it religious, further add flue on the fire to further deepen and expending their vote bank for the future.

    Who will be killed, who will be affected that is poor person fron Gojal, Nager Gilgit eithershe/he is Shia or Suni.

    We must understand that we have been Gilgiti and Baltistani for long long and loooooooooooooooooooooooooog time. We have unfortunately or fortunately become Suni, NoorBakhsi, Shia Imami Ismaili, or Shia. We have to be loyal to our mother (land) first. Remember land (Gilgit-Baltistan) as our mother becomes that mush said as child is killed in front of her mother. You believe or not, I as a journalist have observed in Gilgit that when some one killed, the land observes the blood so late.

    I have seen a lot of blood in Gilgit, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee stop now!!!!!!!!

  17. A very sad incident but an eye opener!

    Besides condemning the violent act by the labourers in the Hussaini Village Upper Hunza, I would strongly object antipathy that various comments manifest. And I would request the administrator/s of Pamir Times to look into this matter before publishing comments which are adding more fuel to the fire. Indeed it is not a defendable act where some people disregard the respect, support and care given by the local people and hostile their tranquil life and society. But in such situations reproaching whole community they belong to, would not be fair. This is true that in recent past similar demos from such elements have been seen in different parts of Hunza and likely in future also. Knowing this fact we need to understand the contributing factors of such incidents. In a situation where over 25000 people are stranded since January 2010, facing various socio-economic problems, suffering from political and administrative prejudices at various level and if you will try to subjugate further then reactions is inevitable. Hunza is being looked at as peaceful place and a society where tolerance and brotherhood is the core value of teaching, obviously such elements, acts and its propagation will damage our image. But we need to be careful and sensible in our actions and words both. Now to settle down this situation government should protect the rights of the local labourers because these economic activities are playing a major role in providing economic support in current situation. Secondly, non-local labourers, businessmen should respect the local culture and values. Community that engages its youth in healthy activities like sports and environmental awareness raising campaigns even in these worst circumstances, never initiate such violent acts and this is the point needed to understand by the media, administration and public representatives. Government should appreciate and recognize the composure that local community, especially youth is exhibiting in this frustrating circumstance and should provide justice by apprehending those elements and bringing them to the justice. Government should also need to take necessary measures to safeguard the rights of the local people ensuring fairness in current and future public recruitments which is a big challenge.

  18. in my opion that best solution is that nagar people should not be allowed to work in the gojal area where s the gojal are concern they are ot entering in nagar area for labouring …

  19. Though this incident started from petty economic issues but it will leave large impacts on our socioeconomic and sociopolitical lives in the future, if it will remain unresolved. As we all are aware of the fact that Hunza and Nagar are interconnected not only geographically but also administratively, so the peace within the region is at prime important.

    The use of force has never been the ultimate solution for any kind of problem. The people of Nagar will have to consider it. This isn’t the time to use force and emotions against each other – which eventually will lead to more chaos. Lets us bring all issues on the table.

    It is important for the people of Nagar to understand that it will not lead them any comfortable achievement while playing in the hands of local mafia,

    Time has come to achieve our goals with peace, rationale, fair-play and dignity. Instead of using the rotten political pressure, mafias and on the basis of sects. .

  20. I request to the gojal youth to block the kkh for 15 days then the people of nagar and other people to solve this issue soon and permanently. Our main things is kkh, if we block this road then the issue solved essy. Other wise the council and the govt will not solved it. it is regularly isssue…

  21. @NOOR PT TIMES: My comments might seem ‘5000 metres off target’ to you, ‘yet again’ … but it seems through your biased site you are right on target on your mission.

    Till i visited your miserable site, i had no idea who ‘Gojalis’ were. I grew up knowing that the land from cliq to mayoon were inhabitated by ‘Hunzakutz’ and thats all.

    Id rather be off target and safe, rather then be on target and destroy our homeland through biased and un-ethical comments which are posted under your very able leadership.

    Prove me wrong? You cannot.

    1. Dear enraged Uyom

      The fact that you keep coming back to this “miserable” website speaks volumes about your inability to manage yourself 🙂

      If you did not know about Gojal, then i can only lament your ignorance. Gojal, to which your ancestors referred to as Herbar, existed before me and you came to this world and it will exist even after we both are gone.

      Since my childhood I have been writing my address as Tehsil Gojal, District Gilgit. It has now changed to Tehsil Gojal, District Hunza – Nagar, and there’s quite a possibility that it may further change to sub-division Gojal, District Hunza, in the near or far future.

      Accept what is real, or stay in your delusional world of insecurities. The choice is yours.

      I am confident that the moderators at PT are trying their level best to accommodate all hues of emotions and logic in our comments section, as is evident, if you read anything but your own comments!

      The slogan that I introduced in Karachi was

      Shinaki, Hunzu aur Gojal
      Hamara Hunza Baymisaal

      (Note: you can also change Hunzu in the above slogan to Kanjud, which is the historical name of Central Hunza.)

      But, of course I don’t see myself or my Hunza in isolation. It is very much part of my region, i.e. Gilgit – Baltistan, if you don’t know about that!!

      Now, repeat the slogan after me, energize your soul, and get a life 🙂

  22. Really very sad…People of Hunza and Nager are not enemies. It is just a stupid clash of two labor groups. By the way we are very much relying on each other in every day matters, for example people of Hunza including upper Hunza ‘Gojal’ are having jobs, businesses etc, right from Karachi, Baluchistan up to Gilgit…
    So I may request our Gojal brothers to accept all sort of people who may come there to earn their bread and butter. But let us, try to negotiate that, locals (people of Attabad, Shishkat, Gulmit and Hussani “Susuni” may have 60 to 70 percent of working force.

    May Peace Prevail on Earth. Amen…

  23. Rhetorics will only deteriorate the situation further. We need to be realistic. Anyone who has been involved in agression from any group at any stage should be brought to justice.

    The next step is to strengthen the harmony by bridging the gap between two valleys so that people must be able to respect eachother and understand the common challenges and struggle unitedly to fuel prosperity rather than enimity. People with responsibilities and with heads should come forward to extinguish the flames once forever. Otherwise, the vested interest groups will continue to exploit the innocents and eventually the whole valley will colapse to ‘0’ i.e era prior to 1800. This will benefit none but enemies of Hunza-Nagar as did British rule.

  24. Dear Readers,

    Kindly go through the “SOST ACCORD” that I have placed as a post on my Blog HUNZA DEVELOPMENT FORUM and kindly urge the members (belonging to UPPER HUNZA – Gujal) of the Committee to take active interest and investigate the TERRORISM, so that action against the culprits can be initiated.

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