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Court proceedings across Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) came to a standstill after lawyers launched a region-wide strike to protest the arrest of a senior legal practitioner and several activists under Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Act.
The strike call was issued by the Gilgit-Baltistan High Court Bar Association following the detention of prominent advocate Ehsan Ali and other members of the GB Awami Action Committee. Lawyers in both higher and lower courts refused to attend hearings, leaving numerous litigants without representation and severely disrupting judicial work. The boycott reflected growing anger within the legal community over the use of anti-terror charges against lawyers and political activists in the region, as reported by Dawn. According to Dawn, the strike created significant difficulties for citizens who had scheduled court hearings but were unable to proceed due to the absence of legal counsel. In a statement released after a meeting chaired by Bar Association President Zaffar Iqbal, the legal body strongly criticised the arrest of advocates Ehsan Ali and Muhammad Nafees. The association described the detentions as unjustified and raised concerns about the manner in which authorities handled the situation. The bar leadership said the legal fraternity stands firmly behind its members and condemned what it termed the unlawful detention of lawyers. Ehsan Ali, who also heads the GB Awami Action Committee, was arrested last week along with other leaders. Officials have alleged that the activists delivered anti-state speeches during an Iftar gathering and were planning to organise a rally with anti-state messaging. Police confirmed that First Information Reports were registered against at least 13 members of the Awami Action Committee. An anti-terrorism court subsequently granted investigators physical remand of the accused until March 18, allowing authorities additional time for interrogation. Meanwhile, lawyers representing Ehsan Ali have filed a petition before the PoGB Anti-Terrorism Court requesting immediate medical treatment for the detained advocate. The application states that Ali, who is over 70 years old, has been suffering from a chest infection and had been undergoing treatment before his arrest. The petition warns that the interruption of medical care has put his health at serious risk, as highlighted by Dawn The lawyers argued that access to proper medical facilities is a basic right and urged the court to direct authorities to transfer Ali to a hospital without delay. They also cautioned that any negligence regarding the senior lawyer's health or well-being would provoke further protests from the legal community in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan, as reported by Dawn. (ANI)
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