G-B protests: Peace committee makes headway

Agrees in principle to lift ban on religious events in educational institutions

GILGIT: A sit-in staged by Shia students and religio-political activists on the main Karakoram Highway (KKH) has entered its ninth day, even as a state-backed peace committee claimed to have achieved a major breakthrough in the dispute. The sit in began after some activists were arrested for allegedly violating a ban on holding religious events in educational institutes.

The dispute has been a cause of tension in the region for the past week.

The week-long protest was staged by members of the Shia community over the arrest of around two dozen activists for staging a religious event at a school in Danyor.

Following their arrests, some religio-political activists along with members of Imamia Students Organisation (ISO) staged protests outside the degree colleges in Gilgit and Danyor, briefly blocking the KKH. While police initially dispersed these protesters, they returned later after some more members of both the Shia and Sunni sects were arrested. For the past week, activists have been staging a sit-in on the KKH near the degree college in Danyor to demand the release of their fellow activists, though traffic has been flowing through an alternative route.

After a meeting of the Parliamentary Peace Committee (PPC) on Sunday failed to make any headway on either lifting the ban on religious festivals inside educational institutes or the release of the detained activists, some progress seemed to have been made on Monday.

“Headway has been achieved and you will hear positive news by tomorrow (Tuesday) after the next meeting,” said Abid Baig, an adviser to the Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister.

“The PPC will submit its recommendations to chief minister for approval,” he told The Express Tribune adding that the recommendations will be finalised after consulting with all stakeholders to maintain peace in the region.

Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) government spokesman Faizullah Faraq told The Express Tribune that the PPC on Monday had agreed in principle to lift the ban on holding religious events inside educational institutes.

“But there will be certain conditions on which parties would be allowed to hold them,” said Faraq, adding that government would ensure security during the events.

Confirming that recommendations would be submitted to the CM, Faraq added, “We have realised that certain elements which do not wish to see CPEC succeed were behind the agitation.”

Despite making progress, Baig said that the meeting could not reach a conclusion because PPC chairman Fida Nashad – the G-B assembly speaker – did not attend the meeting on Monday.

The meeting on Sunday had ended without making any progress in part due to the lack of participation by members from the Baltistan region. Apart from Nashad, Akbar Taban from Skardu did not attend on either day. Iqbal Hassan, who missed the meeting on Sunday, made it on Monday.

Meanwhile, sources privy to the development said the PPC thoroughly discussed the ban and detention of activists. “The issue wasn’t an ordinary one, which is why concerned civil and military officials were kept in the loop about the progress of the meetings,” the insider said.

Nagar, Nomal protests called off

In another development, protesters who took to streets in Nagar and Nomal valleys a day earlier in support of protesters in Danyor called off their strike on the instructions of G-B’s chief Shia cleric Agha Rahat Hussain.

“We are hopeful things will go in the right direction tomorrow,” said Muhammad Ali, an activist.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2016.