Political
prisoners in Gilgit Baltistan, Editorial Daily Times
The authorities
in Islamabad need to live up to their claims regarding equal treatment of
Pakistani citizens regardless of their geographic location inside the country. The
fact of the matter is that their approach towards many Pakistanis, in hitherto
marginalised territories like Gilgit-Baltistan, remains no better than that of
the colonial masters whose control over our state institutions ended several
decades ago. Several political activists, led by the iconic Baba Jan, who had
raised voice for those displaced in the Attabad lake fiasco, remain
incarcerated on charges of terrorism. That our law enforcement apparatus can
charge GB residents with terrorism for exercising civil liberties that the rest
of us, in mainland Pakistan, take for granted should be a moment of shame for
those representing the Pakistani public in Islamabad.
Incidentally,
Pakistan’s greatest champion for human rights who left us last week, Asma
Jahangir, had condemned the authorities for Baba Jan’s incarceration and sought
a fair and speedy trial for GB’s political prisoners.
Instead of
trying to address the grievances of the region, the authorities continue with their
undemocratic practices. The latest example is the arrest of the president of
Gilgit Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court Advocate Ehsan Ali. He was held
for re-sharing a photo from recent Iranian protests on social media. The photo
showing a woman protester sitting on the platform meant for prayer leaders in a
mosque had become a symbol of defiance of ordinary Iranians against the
clerical regime.
There was hardly
anything derogatory about the photo but Ali reportedly still took it off from
his social media profile and also apologised for re-sharing it. He was still
arrested and remains behind bars. Meanwhile, protests have been held against
his arrest in GB as well as in major cities across the country. The protesters,
including a large body of students from GB, have sought an end to our double
standards vis-a-vis the region. The authorities in Islamabad will do well to
listen to these youngsters of GB for this lopsided relationship of Islamabad
with the region and its people needs to end.
The case against
Advocate Ali needs to be annulled and he must be released immediately. The
occasion should also be used to reflect on the undemocratic impulses in the
recently passed controversial legislation on electronic crimes. The legislation
should be reviewed for any curtailments it places on Pakistani citizens’
fundamental rights and liberties. For there simply cannot be any room for such
policing of cyber space in a democratic dispensation. *
Published
in Daily Times, February 19th 2018.
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