Solangi denies deployment of Pakistan Army in Gilgit-Baltistan to maintain law and order terming it a rumour

ISLAMABAD, Sep 3 (SABAH): Caretaker Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Murtaza Solangi has denied the deployment of Pakistan Army in Gilgit-Baltistan to maintain law and order.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, Murtaza Solangi termed it rumours that the Pakistan Army has been called out in Gilgit-Baltistan, adding that the services have been sought on the occasion of Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain.

He took to social media website X, formerly Twitter, and quoted the Home Department of Gilgit-Baltistan as saying that “the situation in Gilgit-Baltistan is completely peaceful and the news and speculations circulating in media regarding the deployment of Pakistan Army are completely baseless.” “All roads, trade centers, business activities and educational institutions in G-B are open as usual. The services of Pakistan Army and Civil Armed Forces have been requisitioned only to maintain law and order on the eve of Chehlam of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA),” he continued.

“Special measures have been taken for the security of procession routes and Imambargahs as per past practice,” Solangi wrote on X. “Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 has been imposed across the region to maintain law and order, protect lives and property of the people and avoid any untoward incident,” his message concluded.

It may be recalled that the provincial government had decided to seek deployment of the army to quell unrest in the region on the Parliamentary Peace Committee’s decision on Friday.

The situation turned tense on Sept 1, when demonstrations were held in the Gilgit city and surrou-nding areas on the call of Anjuman-i-Imamia, hours after a prominent religious leader, Maulana Qazi Nisar Ahmed, allegedly made derogatory remarks during a protest in Gilgit.

The Gilgit-Baltistan government has opted to call in the army to ensure peace and security in the region. According to the GB Information Department, Section 144 will be imposed in big cities across the region, and personnel of the Rangers and Frontier Constabulary (FC) deployed alongside GB scouts.