Information minister says situation in Gilgit-Baltistan 'completely peaceful'

Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi said on Sunday that situation in Gilgit-Baltistan was “completely peaceful,” adding that media reports circulating about deployment of the Pakistan Army were “completely baseless.”

The GB government, which has been coping with a tense situation for more than a week, claimed on Saturday that reports of army deployment were unfounded and that it had only requisitioned the services of the Pakistan Army and civil armed forces to uphold law and order in preparation for Imam Hussain’s chehlum next week.

Shams Loon, the home minister, told Aaj News on Saturday that “we are in talks with amaideen [religious elders].”

“They have given us assurances, and we have urged them to promote peace messages in Friday sermons,” he said.

Solangi quoted the statement released by the GB home department on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), which clarified that reports regarding Pakistan Army deployments were false.

“All roads, trade centres, business activities, and educational institutions in GB are open as usual,” he said.

The interim minister said that services of the Pakistan Army and the civil armed forces had been requisitioned “only to maintain law and order” on the eve of the chehlum.

“Moreover, special measures have been taken for the security of the procession routes and imambargahs as per past practice,” he said.

Additionally, in accordance with traditional practice, special precautions have been taken to ensure the security of the procession routes and Imambargahs, the minister wrote.

According to Murtaza Solangi, the Home Department has further indicated that Section 144 of the CrPC 1898 has been implemented throughout the region in order to uphold law and order, safeguard the lives and property of the populace, and prevent any untoward incidents.

Earlier, the US, Canada, and the UK all advised their citizens against traveling to the northern areas.

The US embassy urged American citizens to go to GB with extra caution in light of recent protests in Skardu and Diamer, as well as the risk of additional demonstrations, road closures, and associated disruptions to local phone and internet networks in the area.