GILGIT, Feb 26 A group of students and youth from Gojal staged a protest demonstration outside Gilgit-Baltistan Secretariat and denounced lack of health facilities as well as scarcity of wheat flour in the valley, which is cut off due to an artificial lake formed following landslide in Atabad Hunza, on January 4.

The police baton charged the protesters and arrested two persons who were later released on personal surety.

Earlier the protesters gathered outside the office of the home secretary to inform him about the crisis evolving in Gojal, but he refused to meet them. They also wanted to inform the health officials about the grave situation in Gojal, the largest tehsil of Hunza-Nagar District due to shortage of medicines and doctors.

The officials, according to sources, misbehaved with the protesters upon which they marched on road, assembled at Ittehad Chowk and blocked the road.

Our Correspondent from Hunza adds The police highhandedness against the peaceful protesters in Gilgit triggered protests in Hunza.

The protesters demanded immediate removal of the home secretary, Usman Younus for directing the police to use force against peaceful protesters. They demanded immediate supply of wheat flour and fuel to Gojal and increase in the duration of the excavation work of the debris from Hunza river blockage.

The protesters, however, dispersed after the assurance from the authorities to ensure the supply of essential food items to the valley.

GB Cabinet
The federal government has given a free hand to Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister to form his cabinet comprised. Six ministers to be appointed by the governor on the advice of the chief minister by the end of March, Pakistan Peoples Party sources told Dawn on Friday.

Unlike the past, for the first time ministers would be appointed by the chief minister, added the PPP sources.

PPP sources said that the appointment of ministers or nomination for GB Council would be carried out in a transparent manner.