Information Minister Murtaza Solangi remarked on Sunday that in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), there was "a prevailing atmosphere of tranquility and order," while emphasizing that the security situation remained stable. He further clarified that the GB government had only requested the assistance of the Pakistan Army and civil armed forces to ensure law and order during the upcoming chehlum of Imam Hussain, dismissing reports of army deployment as unfounded.
Nevertheless, mobile internet services were suspended in the region due to recent insensitive remarks by clerics from different schools of thought. Solangi, quoting the GB home department's statement, confirmed that claims of Pakistan Army deployment were entirely without merit.
"All roads, trade centers, businesses, and educational institutions in GB are operating normally," Solangi affirmed. He highlighted that the involvement of Pakistan Army and civil armed forces was solely for the purpose of maintaining law and order during the chehlum, with additional security measures in place for procession routes and imambargahs, along with the imposition of Section 144 across the region.
In a subsequent social media post, Solangi reiterated that GB was enjoying "peace and stability." He noted that while peaceful protests sometimes occur in response to religious and sectarian concerns, the overall law and order situation remained tranquil, and reports of unrest were baseless, with no incidents of violence or damage to public property.
Solangi also shared images from GB to support his statements. Separately, the Gilgit-Baltistan government issued a directive to public and private transport companies, instructing them to have their vehicles en route to Rawalpindi/Islamabad reach Raikot bridge by 11 am. Additionally, they were required to provide trained security guards with licensed weapons for passenger safety.