MUZAFFARABAD, Nov 12 Activists of the All Parties National Alliance (Apna), a conglomerate of over a dozen nationalist organisations and groups of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, staged a demonstration here on Thursday, condemning alleged attempts by Islamabad to perpetuate its rule in Gilgit-Baltistan by holding “mock elections” in the region.

The peaceful demonstration, which began from Upper Adda and concluded at Press Club, coincided with polling for a new legislative assembly in Gilgit-Baltistan under a political package announced by the PPP-led central government through a presidential order.

Most of the demonstrators were wearing red headbands and holdings red flags as well as some banners, one of which read “UN is a dead horse; equally responsible for subjugation and division of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.”

They were also shouting slogans against division of Kashmir with reference to “grant of provincial status” to Gilgit-Baltistan and in favour of an independent Kashmir.

“Every single child will lay down his life (and) Gilgit-Baltistan will not become a province,” was one of the repeatedly heard slogans.

Many demonstrators marched barefooted and crawled on ground for some time during the demonstration, which was led by Col (retired) Mirza Wajahat Hasan, Arif Shahid, president and secretary-general, respectively, of Apna, Prof Abdur Razaq Khalique, Mahmood Baig and others.

Mirza Wajahat Hasan and his younger brother Mirza Nadir Hasan were banished from Gilgit-Baltistan for 60 days, a day after their arrest on October 31. They were picked up as they were preparing for a function to commemorate the independence of Gilgit-Baltistan from Dogra rule on November 1, 1947.

According to Mr Wajahat, the nationalist groups in Gilgit-Baltistan had fielded 14 candidates under the banner of 'Gilgit-Baltistan Democratic Alliance' but eight of them pulled out following the arrest and banishment of Hasan brothers whereas the rest continued in the fray as independent candidates.

“Look the sons of soils have been driven out whereas PML MNA Marvi (Memon), (Acting Governor Qamar Zaman) Kaira and their likes are freely moving in our area,” he said while talking to Dawn.

He asserted that elections in Gilgit-Baltistan would not bring an end to “Islamabad's colonial rule” in the area and real powers would continue to vest in the power corridors of Islamabad.

Rejecting the political package announced by Islamabad, he said it was merely eyewash.

He made it clear that they were not against the state of Pakistan but against the wrong policies of rulers in Islamabad.