Widespread Protests Erupt in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir Following Detention of Religious Scholars
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Synopsis
Residents in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, are protesting the arrest of three religious scholars returning from Iran. They demand their release, alleging wrongful detention by Pakistani authorities amidst severe human rights issues in the region.
Key Takeaways
- Protests in Gilgit-Baltistan over scholar arrests.
- Demands for the immediate release of three detained scholars.
- Protesters claim wrongful detention without cause.
- Severe human rights abuses reported in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
- Activists call for UN intervention regarding occupied territories.
Lahore, March 4 (NationPress) Significant protests are erupting among the residents of the Gilgit-Baltistan area in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the detention of three religious scholars who returned from Iran.
The demonstrators are calling for the swift release of the detained scholars - Syed Aga Ali Abbas from Kharmang, Sheikh Ghulam Abbas from Skardu, and Sheikh Akhtar Hussain from Shigar - who were apprehended on February 25 upon entering Pakistan via the border crossing with Iran in the Balochistan region.
Defying harsh weather conditions and heavy snowfall, a significant number of locals have been conducting a sit-in protest for over a week, also obstructing the Kargil road in Kharmang.
They assert that the three scholars were taken into custody by Pakistani security forces without any wrongdoing.
Unverified reports on Tuesday evening indicated that as the number of protesters grew, authorities promised to release two of the scholars but intended to keep Sheikh Akhtar Hussain in custody.
Human rights violations, restrictions on political freedom, and suppression of dissent continue to plague Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Last year, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed serious concerns regarding human rights abuses in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.
The organization highlighted issues such as extensive power outages, internet disruptions, and called for the recovery of individuals, including children, abducted by Pakistani forces.
In 2024, various political activists from PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan protested outside the United Nations office in Geneva, urging Pakistan to withdraw its forces from the occupied territories in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution.
