Gilgit
Baltistan National Congress hold event in Baltimore, Maryland
PRESS RELEASE
On May 4, 2013,
Gilgit Baltistan National Congress held an event in Baltimore, Maryland.
Senge Sering, Director of Gilgit Baltistan National Congress, moderated the
event. Abdul Hamid Khan, Chairperson of Balawaristan National Front, gave the
keynote speech. Other speakers included Sardar Ishak Sharif and Sardar Zahoor
Khan. Speakers discussed the impact of Pakistan’s ongoing electoral
process, cross-border trade, and Shia killings on the disputed region of
Gilgit-Baltistan.
Abdul
Hamid Khan talked about the role of Balawaristan National Front in promoting
political, socio-economic and environmental rights of Gilgit-Baltistan. He shed
light on the growing extremism and militant activity in the region, and denial
of constitutional rights to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. He said, “The land
of Gilgit-Baltistan could be disputed but the humans who are its citizens
deserve basic rights.” He asked both Indian and Pakistani governments to resume
travel over Astore-Srinagar, Kargil-Skardo, Chorbat-Nubra, Ishkoman-Badakhshan
and Drass-Gultari roads.
Sardar
Ishak Sharif expressed his support to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan in the
struggle for their rights. He condemned on-going human rights violations and
attack on political activists in both Pakistan
controlled Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. He
asked the government of Pakistan
to restore State Subject Rule in Gilgit-Baltistan and end attacks on the Shias
of the region. He criticized the authorities in Pakistani Kashmir for their
involvement in the gang rape and torture of a teenage student, who is now
forced to go in hiding and withdraw the rape case against the government
officials.
Sardar
Zahoor, Chairperson of Kashmir American Welfare Society of Maryland, reiterated
his support for the on-going democratization process in Gilgit-Baltistan. He
stated that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan have an exclusive right to govern
their land and decide about their political future, and no one should try to
dictate them in this regard. He asked the government of Pakistan to grant political rights and genuine
autonomy to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan until the solution of the Kashmir dispute.
In the end, Senge Sering thanked the participants for their support to
the activities of Gilgit Baltistan National Congress
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