GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Apex Committee at a meeting on Tuesday decided to ensure peace and not to allow anyone to create law and order situation in the region.

The committee decided to deploy Karakoram Task Force and police personnel on the KKH, Juglot-Skardu Road and Babusar Top to ensure safety of passengers and movement of vehicles.

The meeting of the committee was held with Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan and Force Commander Northern Areas Major General Kashif Khalil in the chair to review the current law and order situation.

Chief Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani, IGP, home secretary, representatives of law enforcement agencies and field formations attended the meeting.

The meeting decided that legal action will be taken against those involved in hate speech and creating religious hatred. Action will also be taken against those who spread hate and inflammatory content on social media.

The meeting decided that no one would be allowed to close any highway. Moreover, heavy contingent of GB Scouts, Rangers and police will be deployed in all major cities to maintain law and order.

The chief minister will lead efforts aimed at building effective relations with religious leaders of the two major sects and taking them into confidence for peace.

The parliamentary peace committee headed by by the chief minister will hold meetings with stakeholders for sustainable peace. They will first visit Skardu and later Diamar and other areas.

To ensure a positive image of GB and to aware the students of latest trends, education and careers, a four-day education/career expo will be organised in Skardu in the last week of September in which eminent educationists, scientists, entrepreneurs, intellectuals and other celebrities from all walks of life will be invited to share their life experiences and achievements with the students and public.

The event will not only increase the knowledge of the students but will also promote regional and religious harmony among students of all districts of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Furthermore, inter-district relations and coordination and mutual solidarity among the peoplewill be promoted through exchange and meetings of civil society delegations from time to time.

The apex committee meeting decided that peace of Gilgit-Baltistan was the top priority and no one will be allowed to sabotage it.

The meeting vowed that the writ of the government will be ensured at all cost and all miscreants will be dealt firmly.

Meanwhile, according to an official statement, two police personnel and one elementary government schoolteacher were suspended for allegedly being involved in sharing sectarian content on social media.

The government, in the light of the recommendations of the apex committee, has issued instructions to all departments to refrain from posting content that caused sectarian tension and to tighten monitoring of elements that spread sectarian and malicious content. It also issued instructions to all departments to take disciplinary action against government employees who spread religious hatred on social media.

It said anti-state elements were busy in spreading propaganda and sectarian content on social media.

It warned the public to avoid posting or sharing social media content containing anti-national and religious hatred to thwart the nefarious purposes of evil elements.

The statement said the situation in Gilgit-Baltistan was completely peaceful, and social, commercial, educational and economic activities were going on as usual throughout the region.

It said the government was taking steps to keep the situation peaceful and ensure the safety of people’s lives and property.

The statement added the government was determined to maintain peace with the support and consultation of all stakeholders, including social, religious leaders and media.

“Every individual will play their positive role to maintain the ideal peace. People are requested not to listen to rumours and support the government by showing unity.”

Recently, panic and unrest spread in the region after protesters in Chilas in Diamer blocked the KKH and the Babusar Pass road for three days demanding the arrest of a religious leader from Skardu for allegedly passing controversial remarks.

Protest demonstrations were also held in Astore, Gilgit, however, the protests were called off after registration of an FIR against the religious leader.

In reaction to the registration of the FIR against Agha Baqir Al-Hussaini, a shutter-down and wheel jam strike was observed in Skardu with the protesters also blocking main roads, including Juglot-Skardu road, on Friday.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2023