Pakistan occupying Gilgit Baltistan is protesting against the arrest of the General Secretary of Awami Action Committee and Chief Organiser of Gilgit Baltistan United Movement (GBUM).
Recently Shabbir Mayar was arrested on the orders of the occupying government and the anti-terrorism court granted a judicial remand of one week. Now people of POGB are agitated over his arrest by Kharmang Police and the long persisting authoritarian oppression of the dissent voice. People took to the streets and carried out rallies for the release of Shabbir Mayar.
Shabbir Mayar’s arrest comes in the wake of the sealing of Central Secretariat of Gilgit Baltistan United Movement by the occupying authorities in Skardu. The Central Secretariat of GBUM becomes important because it was inaugurated on October 1.
Shabbir referred the action as “a blatant attempt by the state to keep non-state dissidents out of politics.” The statement speaks for itself. Pakistan has for long used the instrument of the puppet regime to suppress the voice of the people of POGB. They pick those who work as per their choice and place them to the ruling positions, while those who fight for their rights are tried in the so-called ‘anti-Terror court’ of the terror regime. In the struggle of POGB, Shabbir Mayar has emerged as a significant figure as in past few couple of weeks he has been vocal on various issues.
Shabbir Mayar posing resistence
Of late, he has raised the issue of NATCO employees, fee hike in Karakoram University, arrest of the protestors of fee hike, arrest of the Awami Action Committee members. Along with that he also resonated the demands of POJK Awami Action Committee in the context of POGB. Few weeks ago, a teacher was killed by some fringe elements who were suspected to be backed by Pak regime. So, Shabbir Mayar’s voice was exposing the barbarity of the Pak backed occupying government. In fact, under his influence, people of POGB were joining Awami Action Committee to resist the occupying government.
His arrest highlights the nervousness of Pakistan which has illegally occupied POGB for more than 75 years but is in no condition to hold it on the basis of equality and other democratic values.