Local authorities in Nagar district have sentenced activist Yawar Abbas to one month in Manawar Jail. The decision, made by the District Magistrate, comes in response to Abbas’s social media activities criticizing the Army.
According to official statements, Abbas is accused of “inciting people” and “trying to sabotage the law and order situation” through his online posts. His most recent Twitter post, which drew particular attention, compared the situation in POGB to that of Palestine.
Abbas has been a vocal critic of the Pak Army’s “green tourism companies”, that are exploiting the region’s resources. His advocacy has focused on issues of land grabbing and the plunder of natural resources in POGB, a region that has long grappled with questions of political status and economic development.
Abbas’s arrest is an attempt to silence legitimate criticism. POGB has seen frequent protests over a lack of basic infrastructure and limited political rights.