Activists call for integration of struggles of Gilgit-Baltistan, PoK

Gilgit leadership led by Awami Action Committee has been vigorous in its endeavours to get freedom from the clutches of Pakistan, which has been misruling the region for more than seven decades.

Besides carrying out massive demonstrations and rallies, the besieged people are using every arrow in their quiver to put up a strong resistance against the authorities of Islamabad, who have been extremely authoritarian in dealing with public issues in the region.

In its recent move, the leaders from Gilgit-Baltistan, staving off the potential of any further degradation in the relationship with Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) leadership has sought integration of two separate struggles of GB and PoK citing it would infuse more energy to the anti-Pakistan resistance.

Maulana Sultan Raees, the Chairman of the Awami Action Committee said, "Our history is neither taught in PoK nor in Gilgit-Baltistan. We have our own history. However, keeping aside that curriculum we are taught the history of Pakistan which has now been memorised even by our children."

The rapacious government of Pakistan has left the people of Gilgit-Baltistan reeling under abject poverty. They have not just meted out a novercal treatment to the region but have introduced several draconian laws to govern the territory with extreme high handedness, according to the committee. An already grim situation has further deteriorated with security forces unleashing barbarity of highest degree by implicating the youth under false charges of Anti-Terrorism Act.

"Draconian laws have been imposed on the people of the region. If anybody talks of his rights or representation, he is implicated under the Anti- Terrorism Act (ATA). Atrocities are meted out at the pretext of schedule IV. Here, nobody raises his or her voice whenever a wrong is done in Gilgit Baltistan," Raja Mir Nawaz Mir, the Chairman of the Ghizer Action Committee remarked.

Indigenous people in Gilgit-Baltistan have, for years, been asking Pakistan to set the region free. However, their demands for a region free of Pakistani rule has fallen on deaf ears of successive regimes of Islamabad.