Revised Article:
Amjad Ayub Mirza Slams Pakistani Elite, Highlights Human Rights Crisis in Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Balochistan
State Repression Strips Eid of Significance, Declares PoJK Activist Amjad Ayub Mirza
It's Eid, a time for joy and unity, but not for those living under state repression in Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Balochistan, according to Amjad Ayub Mirza, a leading activist from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Speaking from London, Mirza voiced his frustration over the ongoing incarceration of key political and human rights activists, including Ehsan Ali Advocate, Mumtaz Hussain Nagri, Sakhi Asif, and Mahrang Baloch.
“Eid is supposed to symbolize compassion and community. However, how can we celebrate when our people are behind bars for merely demanding their basic rights?” Mirza questioned.
This Eid has been marred by civil unrest across the occupied regions. In Balochistan, the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) staged protests even on Eid day, demanding answers for the thousands who have disappeared. In Gilgit, schoolteachers are in their 14th day of a sit-in, advocating for fair treatment. Meanwhile, in PoJK, pensioners and non-gazetted government employees continue their struggle for economic justice.
Mirza described these grievances as the desperate cries of a suppressed population. He condemned the Pakistani elite for celebrating Eid in luxury while turning a blind eye to the daily suffering of ordinary citizens.
Calling for urgent international intervention, Mirza implored global human rights bodies and independent media to shed light on the harsh realities of the occupied territories. "As long as our voices are silenced and our people remain imprisoned, Eid will hold no meaning for us," he asserted.
His message serves as a poignant reminder that behind the festivities, countless lives remain shrouded by fear, loss, and injustice.
Border tensions, restrictions on political participation, freedom of expression, and local self-governance, concern over humanitarian access, and persistent issues related to political autonomy and democratic participation characterize the human rights situation in these regions. The incarceration of activists and ongoing conflicts further aggravate the situation, underscoring the necessity for sustained international scrutiny and advocacy. Read more: Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Balochistan face escalating human rights challenges
(The article is a syndicated feed and has not been edited by Tribune staff.)
*Insights from The Tribune Premium: The human rights situation in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Balochistan is deeply troubled, marked by persistent challenges in each region. The ongoing incarceration of activists and escalating conflicts further compound the situation.
- The ongoing conflicts and incarceration of activists in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Balochistan are a cause for concern in the realm of general news and human rights.
- Amjad Ayub Mirza's opinion on the human rights crisis in the aforementioned regions highlights the urgency for global media and human rights bodies to shed light on war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice issues there.
- As political leaders celebrate Eid in luxury, the peoples' cries for freedom, fair treatment, and economic justice prevail as the sad reality in these occupied regions, become a part of the political discourse, and remain a focal point in the news.
