Police baton charges peaceful protesters in front of GBLA building
Towards “Lathi-Goli Sarkar in Gilgit – Baltistan”?
by Nur
Gilgit, March 18: Police baton charged peaceful protesters gathered on invitation of the Rabita Committee of Mustaseerin-e-Gojal today in front of the Gilgit – Baltistan Legislative Assembly building. The protester also clashed with the police after being baton charged and exchange of punches and sticks continued for a few minutes. Also present during the baton charge was MLA Didar Ali, among others.
Hundreds of protesters had gathered in front of the assembly carrying banners and placards to ask the government for implementation of the charter of demand developed by Gilgit unit of the coordination committee of people of Gojal. Among the protesters were people from Jutal, Rahimabad, Nagar, Hunza and Gojal.
The clash erupted after people started moving towards the main gate of GBLA building demanding the chief minister to come out and address the protesters. Earlier the efforts of MLA Mutabiat Shah, Mirza Hussain and prominent Shia leader Agha Rahat al Hussain Hussaini had failed to disperse the protesters who wanted the chief minister to come out and listen to the demands of the people.
It is pertinent to note that at time of the protest the assembly was session and voting for election of the members of Gilgit – Baltistan Council was in progress.
The protesters chanted slogans against the chief minister, police department, home secretary and the government condemning the second event of baton charge of peaceful protesters belonging to Gojal valley.
Interestingly, while the police officials were baton charging the people holding placards and banners the air of Gilgit echoed with the “jubilation firing” of supporters of various members elected as members of the council, touted as the ‘upper house’ in the new governance setup of Gilgit – Baltistan. Celebratory gun shots were also fired by unidentified people near the assembly building. The police could not arrest anyone for open aerial firing.
Also ironic is the fact that yesterday Syed Mehdi Shah, chief minister of Gilgit – Baltistan had said that he will not allow the region to become a police state.
Very well done Rabita Comittee Gilgit and all supporters…Now the officials will realize what is power of people….Many many congrats to all members…great job done keep it up..
I really appreciate the committees for raising the public voices. I will also request them to avoid mixing our issues with others in order to give rooms for others to say that these are just politicising the issue.
Please remain focus on the issue and dont lead the youth to fullfil their own personal grieviences and interests. I will request the people to watch elements working for certain people and now mingled with those dedicated people of the region who realy feel and struggle for the people.
The local authorities seem to have decided to physically humiliate the peaceful protesters and try to stop the voices from reaching the world media. The one obvious reason is that the officials have been lieing to the national and the international media that the landslide that hit the region is a tiny one and the FWO can clear it with a couple of outdated excavators without even the support of the federal government.
The part time Governor of GB has been advocating since the first day that there is no human tragedy attached to this landslide and only 1500 people are affected from the three villages, Attabad, Salmanabad and Sarat. All the claims that there are ample storage of food items in the region are just lies.
As the national and international media have realized and started focusing and highlighting the matter, the claims made and the situations painted by the officials led by the Governor himself are proving to be hollow claims, they have now decided to suppress the voice of the people demanding for their rights.
The first incidence was the witnessed by the collective verbal attack on the local journalist, Zulfiqar Ali Khan of Dawn and Pamirtimes by Mr. Kaira and his Chamchas and now this brutal baton-charging or the innocent protesters in Gilgit.
They think that they can stand against the truth by their ill-intentions and in-ethical techniques.
Mr. Kaira and Party, you perhaps do not know that the people of Hunza and Gojal are in every corner of the country and the world and you can not stop them raising this issue and exposing people like you and those corrupt officials there in your circle.
It is now an open War, if you like it this way. We have sacrificed our ultimate and if God forbid, the lack bursts, as it is more likely, it will wash away everything on its way down to Tarbela, then the Nation is not going to spare you for your criminal ignorance of the situation
thats a great job of the pepole of glt baltistan ,they show that the power is everything and the students of show their power against police ,very good all youths welldone
A govt must have the courage to respect the voice of the people if it is for the people and by the people. Peaceful demonstration is one of the universal political nourms enven in most civilized socities. But what I did learn during the past over two months- (meeting / hearing and watching) the key stakeholders responsible managing the disaster issues reflect against the nourms of what otherwise they think to achieve their agenda own political and non political fronts.
The police action in Giligt and rude and insulting behaviour with Zulfiqar is unacceptable for the people who have lost their dear ones as well as livelihood means and are in incremental threat of the damage due to raiising water level up and downstream Hunza river.
We must appriciate Zulfiqar Ali for his sustained reporting to highlight the issue in the mainstream media and the people whoever takes part in the demonstartion in Gilgit and elsewhere in Pakistan.
The protest was to relaise the high ups that the people of Gojal and down stream are vigilaint about the current situation in Gojal and the anticipated catostrophy after outburst of the lack.Now the gvt will have to fullfil the promises made with the people of Gojal or face the music.But the govt is always taking hepl of police to prove that how much the are sincer and polite towords the affectees.
ya i was present their during peaceful protest for our own survival, i shall disappointed by the comments of one of our representative, after that the police once again make lathi cahrge and hurt some: if democracy is name of this act we are ready to shed our blood for our nation, if demands:
Peacefull demonstration is the right of every citizen and it is praticed all over the world.The democratic setup in Gilgit Baltistan region should have the courage to bear all those slogans which were chantted over them, as they have been given the rights to legislate by the people.
Unfortunately the political psychi has been bulit up in the country that no one from the administration is willing to work untill protests and slogans are raised against them.Thus public force is the only sheer force that makes them active.So the protest against the inactive administration is apprecitable.
The culture of accountability is non-existant in the government setup and they think they are masters rather then public servants. Misuse of the power is never punished because of the nepotism in the administrative setup.
The resort to take revenge whoever challenge them. The people of Hunza and Gojal are known for their decency and the administration does not understand this and try to compare them with the other parts of the country whom they treat like animals.
But here they will get a different battle-field where the ignorant, corrupt and Sifirishi official are lined up against the highly educated and media aware people properly connected throughout the world.