GILGIT, Feb 8: Leaders of various nationalist and progressive parties, detained on Saturday for trying to stage a protest rally against construction of Bhasha dam, were released on Monday night after a court declined to extend their judicial remand. .

At least eight leaders and activists, including Baloristan Labour Party chief organizer Ahsan Ali, Karakoram National Movement chairman Mumtaz Hussain Nagari, KNM leader Dr Amjad Changezi and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front’s Ziaul Haque, Shahid Ali, Usman and Akramullah were kept in detention for two days and no charges were framed against them.

Some of them freed leaders told Dawn that they would soon file a petition against the Gilgit superintendent of police for insulting and beating the protesters.