Around 100 men and women reach police station in Hunza, offer arrest
Police high ups and DC assure protesters of no more random arrests, respect for sanctity of Chadar and Chardiwari
PT Report
Aliabad/Ganish, August 29: A Jail Bharo protest was held today here in Hunza by up to 100 activists of Aman Committee and several people displaced as a result of the Attabad landslide disaster and the resultant damming of Hunza River.
The protesters, including at least 35 women, reached the temporary police station in Ganish Village of Hunza, and offered voluntary mass-arrests, in protests against mid-night and early-morning raids by police and other forces in Baltit, Altit, Garelth, Murtazabad, Hyderabad and Aliabad.
The activists demanded that the police should arrest them en-mass instead of conducting random raids, with no regards for sanctity of the local traditions and the law of Chadar and Chardiwari.
The Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Commissioner of Hunza – Nagar assured the peaceful protesters that random arrests will be stopped with immediate effect. The police have been rounding up people, among them many for no reason, in retaliation to the riots that erupted after the murder of two IDPs in Aliabad, at the hand of police.
The enraged public had torched several buildings and official vehicles, while also roughing up many policemen after they opened fire on peaceful protesters in Aliabad, during the arrival of Chief Minister Mehdi Shah, on 11 August, 2011.
The murder of two innocent IDPs by the police is now being popularly called the 08/11 disaster in Hunza.
Yesterday GB Finance Minister, Muhammad Ali Akhtar, had said that the people of Hunza should “tolerate” the arrests and had warned that more people will be arrested in the days ahead.
People in Hunza have harshly criticized Akhtar for ‘unnecessarily speaking beyond his mandate’. “The Finance Minister shall mind his own business instead of meddling in the affairs of other ministers”, Muhamad Karim, a resident of Hunza told this reporter.
Last week, in a press conference former elected representative of Hunza, Ghazanfar Ali Khan, had also announced that he will offer voluntary arrest in protest against the random detention of people in the valley. However, he did not show up at the police station today, along with the protesters.
Bravo to all those who dare to stand against the injustice. We SALUTE them indeed…
The people of Hunza valley should use their political and constitutional right to raise against the discrimination committed by the GB government .The people of the region have serious doubt about the impartiality of Mr.Akthar and right to know about the recovery of heavy arms from the gangs attached Husaini Gojal valley.Why is he so keen in the affairs of Hunza valley beyond his mandate?
Thanks to those hundred people who volunteered themselves, its very clear that some agents in the current government (who are ministers) are trying to create law and order situation in Hunza valley, their intention is to engage the GB scout and other law enforcement agencies to create more disturbance in the region. by doing this they want to create more pressure and anger on public and this would cause more violence. this would result in deployment of Rangers and paramilitary forces in the area, their intention is clear that they want to show Hunza not a peaceful region.
but lets first keep peace in order and do protest peacefully and politically demonstration elsewhere in other parts of the country.