Gilgit-Baltistan has been denied representation, democracy and self-government for almost seven decades. Despite being crucial to the CPEC, the people of the region continue to be governed through the strong arm of the Pakistani state. Questions over how political and social activists are dealt with have been raised again during the ongoing campaign for by-election in Hunza. Baba Jan, a progressive activist from the region, was set to contest the by-election on an Awami Workers Party ticket when the GB Supreme Appellate Court rejected his appeal against a life sentence last week. Baba Jan and 11 other activists were sentenced under anti-terrorism laws for allegedly leading protests demanding compensation for the victims of the Attabad Lake disaster in 2011. This is a clear case of political victimisation. The underlying logic seems to be to ‘keep the peace’ in the region as Chinese capital continues to transform the local political economy. Before being jailed, Baba Jan had been part of an upsurge in progressive, nationalist politics in a region that has felt neglected by the powers that be.
Baba Jan’s popularity in the region can be witnessed from the fact that he came in second in the GB Legislative Assembly elections last year, following by a few thousand votes behind the current GB governor. His election campaigns have been led by his sister and been remarkable for the presence of women from the region. Support for Baba Jan also goes to confirm how discontent the people of the region are with the way they are being governed. This year, spring brought with it a spell of rains and landslides which brought the region to a standstill. The residents of Hunza, Nagar and Gilgit valleys took to the streets in protest as food shortages began to hit the region. The federal government was too slow to clear the roads and deliver aid. Rallying behind Baba Jan is a way for the region’s people to also speak up for their rights. The sentencing of Baba Jan and his fellow activists before the now-delayed Hunza election confirms that the voice of the region’s people will not be heard. As things stand now, only President Mamnoon Hussain can commute the sentence. Given the wide support Baba Jan has received from a wide spectrum of political parties including the PTI, the ANP and the JKPNP, that would be a wise decision to make. The voice of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan must be heard, not silenced.
