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Talks are being held over the ongoing protests demanding the release of 13 people of the Imamia community arrested after a scuffle with security rangers in 2005 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Protests are going on in Skardu, Gilgit and some other parts with the support of Anjuman-e-Imamia, Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen, civil society and Jamaat-e-Islami, Baad-e-Shimal Edit newspaper reported. Even though the government has convinced the protestors that the arrested persons would be released soon, several basic issues like load shedding, inflation, and the lease of lands need to be addressed on a war footing. The Gilgit-Baltistan government is not making serious efforts despite people looking for a way out of their problems. If the matter of the arrest of the Imamia community members is not resolved as soon as possible, it will be a challenge for the government writ which looks very weak, local media reported. The people of Gilgit Baltistan have been resisting Pakistan for misuse of powers in the occupied territory for the past 74 years. Recently, they held protests in Gilgit, condemning the arrest of 13 political activists on October 13, 2005. In 2009, a military court awarded them life sentences. Earlier on Monday, the Jaffaria community chief Agha Rahat Hussein Al-Hussein expressed concern over the release of 13 youths who were given life imprisonment. Anjuman-e-Imamiya also protested over the issue as the current Gilgit-Baltistan government had promised their release in two months but so far no action has been taken in this regard, reported local media. Women and children from the Jaffaria community continued protests for the sixth day and Shia leaders have warned that if this issue was not resolved and the 13 men were not released, there would be protests everywhere. Further talks about Gilgit-Baltistan's constitutional status and rights were demanded by Jamat-e-Islami Pakistan vice president and Milli Yakjehti Council Sec-Gen Liaquat Baloch. He said that the party in Gilgit-Baltistan will continue the struggle for constitutional status along with the rights of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistani authorities have finalised a law (26th Constitutional Amendment Bill) to award provisional provincial status to strategically located Gilgit-Baltistan. Gilgit-Baltistan is an autonomous region now and after the bill is passed, it will become the 5th province of the country. (ANI)
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