May 16, 2025: Tensions are boiling in Gilgit-Baltistan following the arrest of five senior leaders of the Gilgit-Baltistan Awami Action Committee (ACC), including its chairman, Ehsan Ali Advocate. The crackdown comes just days ahead of a pivotal Grand Jirga scheduled for May 26, sparking outrage among residents who view the move as an attempt to silence advocacy for regional rights.
Massive demonstrations erupted across Gilgit, Skardu, and Aliabad in Hunza on Thursday. Protesters chanted slogans, waved banners, and blocked the vital Karakoram Highway, demanding the immediate release of the detained leaders. The highway, considered the economic artery of the region, was paralyzed as demonstrators vowed not to retreat until justice was served.
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The Grand Jirga was set to address critical issues surrounding local ownership and control of natural resources—a topic that resonates deeply among the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. The timing of the arrests has only fueled suspicions of state-driven suppression.
The detained leaders—Ehsan Ali Advocate, Engineer Mahboob Wali, Masoodul Rehman, Asghar Shah, and Waheed Hassan—were taken into custody on Wednesday evening from various parts of Gilgit. The next day, they were produced before an anti-terrorism court, which granted a 14-day physical remand. They are currently being held at the Airport Police Station.
Authorities have invoked anti-terrorism laws, accusing the leaders of delivering hate speech and engaging in anti-state activities, particularly during recent tensions along the Pakistan-India border. Reports indicate that 16 ACC leaders are named in the FIR.
The Awami Action Committee has denounced the arrests as politically motivated, calling them a desperate attempt to derail the upcoming jirga and stifle legitimate demands for local autonomy. Human rights groups and civil society members have raised alarms over what they see as an intensifying crackdown on peaceful political expression in the region.