Deputy Commissioner (DC) Amir Azam Hamza of Gilgit said that following aninflammatory speech by a religious leader on Friday, a tense situationarose. Afterward, the government held negotiations with religious scholars,which led to the cancellation of the planned protest on Sunday, and thesituation is now peaceful.
On September 1st (Friday), tensions escalated between Sunni and Shiagroups in Gilgit-Baltistan following an inflammatory speech by a religiousleader. The government then convened a special meeting.
After the meeting led by Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Haji Gulbar Khanon September 1, 2023, the Interior Ministry immediately imposed Section 144to prohibit illegal gatherings and block roads. Strict action was announcedagainst those who violated it.
Additionally, to maintain law and order and protect the public, thedecision was made to request military support and deploy Rangers, GBScouts, and FC personnel in major cities of the region.
On the other hand, another religious group announced a protest onSeptember 3. However, according to Deputy Commissioner Gilgit Amir AzamHamza, negotiations were held with religious scholars, and it was assuredthat no protests would take place.
He stated that the result of negotiations is that people are willing tocooperate, and the responsibility for resolving the issue has beenentrusted to the government. DC Gilgit clarified to Independent Urdu thatrumors and false news are being spread with exaggerated speculationsregarding the situation.
Furthermore, Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Haji Gulbar Khan ischairing a high-level meeting on September 1, 2023 (Gilgit-Baltistangovernment).
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DC Gilgit also corrected that the army is not being called in but is onstandby for the observance of Imam Hussein’s 40th day mourning, which fallson September 7. The use of the term “standby” was misinterpreted as amilitary call, whereas it is a regular practice for the observance of ImamHussein’s 40th day.
According to district administration, police, Rangers, and Scouts have beendeployed to ensure public safety and timely control of any unexpectedsituations. On the other hand, Federal Minister for Information MurtazaSolangi has also declared that Gilgit-Baltistan is in a peaceful state.Schools, colleges, markets, and roads are open, reflecting a sense ofnormalcy. Peaceful protests occasionally occur in response to somereligious and sectarian provocations, but the overall security situation isstable.
Murtaza Solangi further clarified that there have been no militarydeployments, and the Pakistani army is prepared for community protectionduring events like Imam Hussein’s 40th-day rituals in the upcoming week.
Meanwhile, the police in Gilgit, Diamer, Skardu, and other areas haveregistered FIRs and arrested individuals who have been spreading falserumors and creating a hateful atmosphere.
