Friday, August 26, 2011

Thousands of people have flocked to the streets in Pakistan controlled Hunza condemning state led terrorism and extra judicial killings.

Enforced disappearances continue in occupied Gilgit-Baltistan as on August 26, 2011, security forces arrested another eighteen political activists from Hunza at midnight and took them to unknown locations. The total number of local youth arrested has reached to forty including three journalists. Secret service agents also ransacked and damaged the offices of Karakoram Publishing Network and Daily K-2 newspaper.

According to Daily Baang-e-Sehar, one of the leading local newspapers of Gilgit-Baltistan, the detainees are being physically tortured as many of them continue to observe fasting to honor the Holy month of Ramadan. Security forces have established barricades and check posts at every few miles along the Karakoram Highway to intercept the vehicles carrying the local political activists and journalists who are escaping Gilgit-Baltistan to incognito.

Among the arrested is Sultan Madad who was trying to ride a bus to Islamabad. Among other detainees are Tahir Jan, Karim, Fida Ali, Mir Alam, Irfan Kareem, Mashghool Alam, Imran, Mir Aman, Gul Nawaz, Amir Khan, Ghulam Tahir, Nizam Khan and Afsar Jan.

The detainees have been charged for terrorism and sedition but their real crime is demanding food, shelter, medicines and schools for the flood victims who have been languishing in makeshift camps in Hunza since January of 2010.

Local activists are now demanding restoration of the former princely state of Hunza and regaining control over their land and resources. The situation is a reflection on lack of will and the capacity of Pakistani rulers and for failing to provide good governance. Hunza is a strategic region since it borders both Afghanistan and China and provides the land link for the Chinese to the Persian Gulf and Indian Oceanic Region.