“At least 400 men have joined the camp and more are coming,” Wajid, a resident of Nasirabad –Hunza told The Express Tribune by phone.
He said that a peaceful protest rally would also be held on the Karakoram highway later in the day to highlight the issue of illegal detention of the leader.
Jan, who is the chief organiser of Progressive Youth Front, was among the 100 people arrested for allegedly ransacking a police station last August after a son and father were killed in a clash with the police.
Jan and his party were accused of fuelling the riots, a charge that they denied.
Residents of Nasirabad last week staged a protest camp at the same place, threatening to lay siege to the offices of the deputy and assistance commissioners in Hunza if the youth leader wasn’t released from jail within three days.
“The decision of laying siege to the offices has been put off till the anniversary of Jan’s arrest,” said Wajid, a supporter of Baba Jan.
The protest camp was addressed by leaders, condemning authorities for implicating the detained leader in false cases, said Mumtaz Ali, another activist.
Jan’s counsel Ehsan Ali said that Jan’s bail plea had been accepted and he was expected to be released earlier this month, but was remanded in yet another case by the anti-terrorism court on charges of inciting sectarian hatred and promoting anti-government sentiments among prisoners.
He had earlier termed the charge “another tool to incarcerate [the detained youth leader]”.
When contacted, Assistant Commissioner Gilgit, Usman Ahmad said that Baba Jan was facing sedition charges under anti-terrorist act [ATA], which were unbailable. “It is however upto the court to accept or deny him bail,” he said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the youth organisation as the "Progressive Youth Movement" instead of the "Progressive Youth Front". A correction has been made.
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it is very painful for us that pakistani Govt make jock of attabad IDPs, instead of help they shed blood of IDPs. Attabad Idps are still in camps in miserable situation while NGOs accumulate million of dollars in the name of attabad disaster but they didn't spend a peny till now ... the hate for the country political parties and pakistani nation is increased with the passsage of time .. pakistanies are silent on the present senior and imprison baba jan who demanding our rights for IDPs ....