Major protests erupt across Gilgit-Baltistan against Kurram attack

GILGIT BALTISTAN: Hundreds of protestors took to the roads across Gilgit Baltistan to condemn the militant attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s lower Kurram district that resulted in the murder of at least 42 people leaving dozens of others injured.

The protestors expressed their anger and sorrow over the incident by staging protests in the streets of various areas including Skardu, Gilgit Baltistan, Hunza, and Sirmik where they showed support to the families of victims.

The protestors raised several slogans against the government and KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur demanding justice for the victims while criticizing the administration’s failure to control the terrorism in the region.

In Skardu, a massive demonstration began at the Imamia Jamma Masjid after Friday prayers, with thousands marching through the streets to denounce the authorities’ negligence in protecting the Shia community.

Speakers at the rally alleged that the government and security agencies showed little interest in preventing attacks targeting the Shia community and demanded immediate action to ensure the safety of Parachinar residents.

Similarly, several rallies were held in other areas, including Gilgit, where demonstrators marched from the Imamia Jamma Masjid to condemn the violence in Lower Kurram.

The demonstrations highlighted the rising frustration of the Shia population and their calls for concrete actions to safeguard their lives and fundamental human rights. The protest movement’s leaders called for the need for proper mechanisms of accountability in the face of terrorism, as well as a plan on how this problem will be addressed.

One of the key speakers, Sheikh Kiramat Ali, bellowed angrily over the apparent government and law enforcement’s inability to shield the innocent from danger, saying, “Martyrdom is our legacy, but we will not die like this. We will die, but O generals, O prime minister, O Gandapur, we will turn you into a curse for eternity, just as Hazrat Zainab turned Yazid into a curse.”