Pakistan PM Imran Khan faces major protests against provincial status for Gilgit-Baltistan

People from Gilgit Baltistan held demonstrations across major towns of Pakistan against Islamabad's sudden announcement to give provincial status to the region and clampdown on people's civil and political rights, reported news agency ANI on Tuesday. Demanding the immediate release of the activists who have been sentenced on false charges, the protesters have launched a massive resistance drive in the wake of Imran Khan's government's attempts to change the political status of occupied Gilgit Baltistan.

Political activists said that they will sacrifice themselves but will not let Pakistan alter the status of the region. Recently, Pakistan's Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan, Ali Amin Gandapur, reignited the contentious issue of grant of provincial status to Gilgit Baltistan. The sudden announcement to include the area as the fifth province came even as people of the region have also been protesting against the denial of fundamental rights and policies. They accuse the administration of exercising high-handedness in dealing with those who demand their rights.

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"We are not going to give up until all activists are released from prisons. We all are ready to be arrested. We are waiting for the next move of the Aseeran-i-Hunza Rihaee Committee. Whenever they give a call, we will hold widespread protests across Diamer, Darel to Khunjerab border. We will hold demonstrations across Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. If required, we will go on strike," said a leader of the Gilgit Baltistan Youth Alliance, Karachi. 

In Muzaffarabad city of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), a massive protest was organised on Sunday by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front and Student Liberation Front against the government's decision to make Gilgit Baltistan a province. They have threatened to scale up their protests if Baba Jan and other activists who are in jail for years are not released immediately.

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Gilgit Baltistan, earlier known as Northern Areas has been governed by the "Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order of 2009", which established an electoral framework. Elections have been held in the region under the Order that provides for only limited autonomy. The people accuse Pakistan of systematically exploiting the region of its resources and sharing no dividends with them. Any resistance they say meets brutal government reprisal with activists and leaders hounded, arrested and tortured. 

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(with ANI inputs)