Gilgit: Protests erupt after police torture President Ismaili Regional Council

Gilgit, June 5: President of the Ismaili Regional Council for Gilgit, Col (r) Ubaidullah Baig sustained injuries on his head after being hit by a police constable Thursday evening.

According to details, Magistrate Arif Hussain along with a large contingent of police reached Zulfiqarabad Thursday evening and started demolishing the boundary wall of a disputed graveyard land.

Col (r) Ubaid asked them to refrain from violating the court’s order and stop demolishing the wall. This led to an exchange of hot words and later the Magistrate reportedly ordered the police to open fire. Col (r) Ubaid, reportedly, resisted and was hit on the head by the police constable with the butt of a gun. Col(r) Ubaid sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the hospital, where his condition is said to be out of danger.

The news of the incident spread in the city and thousands of people came out on the street to protest the highhandedness of the police. The Shahrah Quaid – e – Azam in Zulfiqarabad area was blocked by protesters for several hours. They are demanding strict action against police and administration officials who subjected Col (r) Ubaidullah Baig, the President of the Ismaili Regional Council for Gilgit, to brutal torture this evening.

Speaking during the protest demonstration, the activists said that the administration has till Friday (today) to act against the people involved in this gruesome incident. They said that if the government fails to act against the culprits will come on the roads throughout the region and a shutter-down strike will be observed on Saturday.

There are also reports of people planning protest demonstrations in Hunza-Nagar, Ghizar and other parts of the region.