Protesters want home secretary out
by Farman Karim Baig and Ghulam Nasir
Gulmit, February 27: Around six hundred people belonging to Shishkat, Gulmit, Ghulkin, Hussaini and Passu staged a protest demonstration against the police action in Gilgit city yesterday. The protesters raised slogans against the home secretary and chief secretary of Gilgit – Baltistan for tormenting the peaceful protesters in Gilgit city, despite of consoling them and offering them solutions. The protesters marched on the KKH and assembled in front of the Tehsil office.
Speakers demanded immediate removal of Usman Younis, home secretary of Gilgit – Baltistan, also heading the GBDMA. “The government officials are telling white lies that 300 bags of wheat is being transported to Gojal valley everyday”, a speaker said. The protesters said that no such relief has been sent to Gojal and the government officials making such false and irresponsible statements shall be ashamed.
According to information received by Pamir Times a director of the Gilgit – Baltistan food department, Ikram, recently published statements in the local press making such claims. The food secretary has already condemned the statement made by food director.
The speakers said that the hesitation on part of the government in declaring Gojal valley as calamity hit is not understandable. “What else does a calamity do”, asked a speaker. “Houses have been destroyed, people are displaced, the KKH has been destroyed, the bridge [Shishkat – Gulmit Bridge] submerged today, what is the government waiting for”, he further inquired. He criticized the local administration for, what he said, willful victimization of the already distressed people.
The protest had been called to denounce the brutal use of state force against Gojali protesters in Gilgit city yesterday.
Karachi – Strongly reacting to the use of force against peaceful protesters in Gilgit city the president of Save Gojal – Hunza Committee, Noor Khan Advocate, told Pamir Times that the government is using dirty tactics to suppress the voice of the innocent local people. He said that the educated and energetic youth of Gojal and Hunza will not allow the government to divert attention from the real issues by manufacturing such dramas.
He also said that the youngsters arrested and tortured are heroes of the movement for rights of Gojal. He also demanded immediate removal of the home secretary and said that a protest demonstration against the government’s tactics will soon be held in Karachi by all people of Gilgit – Baltistan.
