Save Gojal – Hunza Rally held in Karachi, protesters demand fast action on water release
Photos by Zafar & Qurban Bari
PT Report
Karachi, February 21: Hundreds of men, women and children participated in the Save Gojal – Hunza Rally held today in Karachi. The rally started from Lasbella and passed through the M.A. Jinnah Road, converging near Zainab Market, in the vicinity of Karachi Press Club. The protesters walked to the Karachi press club carrying banners, placards. They chanted slogans against the government of GB and the federal government for not taking release of water from the lake very seriously.
A protest demonstration was held in front of the Karachi Press Club, addressed by speakers belonging to different parts of Gilgit – Baltistan.
Speaking at the occasion Advocate Noor Khan blasted the government for inaction. He said that the 25, 000 people of Gojal valley have been left alone in the times of disaster. He demanded of the government to shun its negligent attitude and employ more men and machinery at the lake barrier to speed up the excavation work. He also deplored the condition of boats being used by NDMA for transporting the people of Gojal valley.
Activists of various political and student organizations also spoke at the occasion. Activists of KNM, BNF, BNSO, KSO, Nagar Students Federation, Ghizar Students Federation, Diamir Youth Movement and other organizations expressed solidarity with the people of Gojal – Hunza. They demanded quick action regarding the release of water. The speakers also demanded of the government to declare Gojal as calamity hit area and extend relief operations to the region accordingly.
The speakers also said that the only relief the government has provided to the displaced people of Ayeenabad is that they were declared IDPs. No relief was provided to the IDPs, the speakers said.
The rally was successful because it attracted around fifteen hundred people from all parts of Gilgit – Baltistan.
Moiz Karim adds from Karachi: The president of the Save Gojal Committee Adv. Noor Khan said while addressing to the media and the procession that the people of GB have an important role in stability of Pakistan. “As Pakistan came into existence by the name of Islam and by the slogan of ‘Lailla Ha Illah’ our forefathers dedicated our region to Pakistan, but Pakistan has never accepted us as a Pakistani. We have our own culture, dignity and history we are like the Kashmiries who want them self in a cage, and want the others to impose their ideology on them.”
A press conference was also addressed by Advocate Noor Khan, Alam Jan, Didar Karim, Aziz Karim, Fazal ur Rehman. The speakers said that the Govt has sent boats for the people to play with lives of people. The government should provide helicopter services until the KKH is opened.
The speakers demanded of the government to make sure 24 hours of operations to release the water. Javeed Iqbal, Alam Jan, Kiramat Ali, Sher Karim (KSO), Manzoor Shenaki, Nadeem Posh, Moulana Sajjad (NSF) and others addressed the gathering.
They said that it’s the failure of the government of Pakistan and the local administration that after 46 days they have not done any remarkable job.
Great job by our people.If we will continue doing protests like this in a meaningful way then obviously the government will open its eyes.Its really a hard time for us.We should face it with full courage and hope.
meher jabeen
This is one of the work done. Now we should not let ourselves down at once, we should continuously pressurise the Govt to pay attention to the main situation.
Great you Karachities,we appreciate your move your voice.Please make such awareness protests peacefully and with grace like this one.Indeed the people of whole GB stand with you.
Pray for the better and be ready for the worst.
Saleem
Its good to see every where that our peoples are rising the issue on different plateforms, now it seems to be catching on, Govt will come action soon as it’s pressurised more. .
Good work Done !
Zubair
Thanks God at last our people living karachi became active to raise voice against the inactiveness of govt.You should have done it in the very begining.Any how its a great job to transform crisis into oportunity.
We hope that the govt will understand that this problem is not only hard hitting the particular area, but will affect the whole of Pakistan. So we hope that our voices will be heard. faboluous job by the organizer and participants of the protest
IT IS A GOOD UNDERSTANDING AMONG THE YOUTH AND ALL THE CITIZENS OF GILGIT – BALTISTAN IN DEMANDING TO SOLVE THEIR CRISISES . GOVERNMENT MUST WORK NOW IN RESOLVING THE TRAGIC PROBLEM.
IT IS ALSO APPPEALING FROM MY CORE OF HEART THAT ALL THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY THAT WHO VISITED THE BEAUTY LAND OF HUNZA- GOJAL ONCE IN THEIR LIFE , PLEASE COME AND ASSIST US IN SOLVING OUR CURRENT PROBLEM AND PROVE US THAT WE ARE ALSO PEACEFUL MANKIND ON THE EARTH.
It is heartening to see the people of Gojal taking to the streets to voice their grievance. It suggests the beginning of political awareness.
I guess the people downstream of the dam should be most concerned because the dam can fill to a certain point and after that it has to spill. When the dam overflows there is a probability that it will cause major disaster all the way down to Turbela dam.
i think, first of all we should force the govt. to inform or invite the United Nation to face this disaster and equacuate the peoples and save the area there, and of cource the govt. can,t do any thing else.
Indeed a great effort have been shown by the gojalis living in Karachi city. In one hand the artificial dam is becoming very alarming to the lower Gojal, on the other hand it is catalysising the political awareness in the region.
In a sense it is the awakening of the big sleep for the political rights and our exisistance.The civil society should take this issue on the streets of Gilgit and Hunza.