A protest demonstration and candle-lit vigil was observed by the natives of Hunza residing in the twin cities to mark the second anniversary of the Attaabad tragedy in which 18 people perished while dozens others were displaced. The demonstration, which was joined by various political parties’ representatives and civil society activists, was organised by the Huza Progressive Youth Front and Workers Party Pakistan. The protestors held placards and chanted slogans against the local and provincial governments of Gilgit-Baltistan for their inability to accommodate the displaced people. The protestors also demanded the release of the Progressive Youth Front activists who were picked by law enforcement agencies a year ago for protesting the killing of two demonstrators by the Hunza-Nagar police Addressing the gathering, Pakistan Labour Party’s Nisar Shah demanded the rights of the people of Hunza and the prisoners’ release.
“The corrupt and ignorant provincial government not only deprived the local population of their rights but also silenced those demanding justice with the barrel of a gun. “We give the government an ultimatum of ten days. If our prisoners are not released during that time, we will shake the very foundations of the chairs of power,” he said. National Students Federation’s Alia Amir Ali said the government was not aware of basic human rights. “The brutal bulldozing of basic human rights in Gilgit-Baltistan was the worst in the world. The people of the region are still living under the colonial rule even in the 21st century,” she said.