Curfew continued for the 13th day in continuation
in the violence-hit city of Gilgit, reports
Express Tribune. It was imposed on
April 3 after 24 people were killed in Gilgit
Baltistan (GB). Parts of Gilgit have experienced
food shortages following the suspension of
traffic on Karakoram Highway in the wake of
recent killings.
Meanwhile,
the nationalist parties of Gilgit-Baltistan
have demanded of the Government to ban mainstream
political and religious parties in GB to ensure
long term peace and harmony. In separate statements,
the leaders accused some major political and
religious parties of creating disturbances
due to vested interests. GB United Movement
(GBUM) Chairman Manzoor Parwana said that
security agencies were violating the fundamental
rights of the people of GB by imposing the
curfew. Citing the shortage of basic necessities
such as life-saving drugs, Parwana said "the
casualties in the wake of this curfew could
be more than (those caused) the terrorist
acts in Gilgit." He maintained that an external
hand was involved in the otherwise peace loving
region. GB National Movement (GBNM) Chairman
Ghulam Abbas blamed the religious clerics.
"The situation will never improve as long
as religious clerics are given undue importance
while elected representatives are kept in
the dark. If the government does not handle
the situation carefully, they will continue
to exploit it further," he stated. Balawaristan
National Movement Chairman Abdul Hamid Khan
called for the deployment of impartial law
enforcers and urged the authorities to ensure
the fundamental rights of people from the
area.
Pak Observer
reports that Interior Minister Rehman Malik
on April 13 said that the third hand is involved
in Chillas and Gilgit violence and the judicial
commission will be formed for investigations.
He also said that due to the stoppage of mobile
phone services and curfew no violent incident
happened in the region. According to the initial
reports of Interior Minister Rehman Malik,
Taliban, who came from Afghanistan, are involved
in violence of Gilgit, adds Dawn.
Meanwhile,
Police claimed on April 13 to have traced
the man who had thrown a hand-grenade on protesting
activists of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat (ASWJ)
at Etehad Chowk on April 3, reports Dawn.
"We have traced the culprit who threw a hand-grenade
on the protesters and conducted raids to arrest
him, but he has changed his hideout," Superintendent
of Police (SP, Gilgit) Wasil Khan said, adding
that the man was also wanted in some other
cases. |
