GILGIT: Protesters on Thu­rsday blocked the Ka­­rakoram Highway (KKH) in Nagar to demand the release of imprisoned Gil­git-Baltistan Awami Ac­­t­ion Committee (AAC) leaders.

The demo announced by the family members of imprisoned AAC leader Mumtaz Nagari was attended by a large number of people from all walks of life, including the members of the religious outfits. They organised a rally from Budulas Nagar and staged a protest at Harapu, the district headquarters of Nagar, blocking the highway for all kinds of traffic.

On May 15, the GB police arrested a dozen AAC leaders for alleged anti-state activities and hate speech during the recent Pakistan-India tensions and sent them on judicial remand. The protesters chanted slogans for the release of detained AAC leaders.

Speaking at the protest, the speakers said that AAC leaders had been illegally arrested for raising their voice for the people. They said it was an injustice to arrest activists who raised their voice to highlight issues faced by poor people.

They said the detained leaders were innocent, adding that the AAC leaders were not criminals or anti-state. Due to the protest, traffic remained suspended for at least four hours on the KKH.

Later, negotiations were held between the family members of detained AAC leader Mumtaz Nagari and GB Assembly member Ayub Waziri, Chief Min­is­ter’s Special Assistant Mu­­hammad Ali and Deputy Commissioner Asghar Khan.

The government representatives assured the participants that the issue would be settled in one week, as the case was under trial. The protesters subsequently postponed the protest for five days, warning that they would take to the streets again if their demands remained unmet.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2025