GILGIT: A large number of residents and political activists took to the streets in Hunza on Sunday, demanding release of political activists.

The protesters said several political activists from Hunza, including Baba Jan, had been in jail for last seven years for demanding compensation for affected people of Atabad Lake.

A large number of workers from ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League-N, Pakistan Peoples Party, Awami Workers Party, Jamaat-i-Islami, MWM, Hunza district bar association, social organisations, and relatives of prisoners participated in the protest rally on the Karakoram Highway in Aliabad Hunza.

The protesters were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans like ‘free all Hunza political prisoners’. They started the rally from the main Aliabad Bazaar, the district headquarters of Hunza, and reached the Hunza Press Club, where they organised a demonstration.

They alleged that false cases had been registered against the political workers under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

They said a man and his son had been killed in police firing during the protest demonstration for the rights of the affected people of Attabad Lake, but the victims had not been provided justice as the judicial inquiry report of the incident had not been made public.

The protesters passed a resolution demanding of Prime Minister Imran Khan to remove terrorism cases against the jailed political workers and order release of all of them.

They said the relatives had met federal government representatives, members of National Assembly and Senate, and president of Pakistan and they had assured of providing justice, but to no avail.

The protesters warned that if their demands were not met they would give a protest call.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2019