PoGB: Lawyers' bodies slam inclusion of Awami Action Committee leadership in Schedule 4 of Anti-Terrorism Act

Gilgit City [PoGB], July 31 (ANI): Several advocates belonging to the Bar Council of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB) have condemned the addition of Awami Action Committee (AAC) leadership to the Schedule Four list of the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Pamir Times reported.
Calling it a violation of Pakistan's constitution, the Gilgit-Baltistan High Count Bar Association has demanded removing the AAC leaders, including Chairman Ehsan Ali Advocate, from the list and halting actions under the said law against residents of Gilgit-Baltistan till resolution of the region's constitutional status.
Two other advocate bodies PoGB Gilgit Bar Association, and Hunza Bar Association, in separate press releases, had raised the same demand. And had urged the government to refrain from cutting down the freedom of expression.
Moreover, Ashfaq Advocate a lawyer belonging to the PoGB, said that they will challenge the law in court if the names of AAC leaders are not removed. Notably, the act provides special powers to the defence forces. Notably, the provisions of the act provide special powers to the federal and provincial governments in the guise of stopping terrorism.
The Awami Action Committee has been a voice for the rights of the people of PoGB. In the past, the social body has organized and participated in several protests raising their voices against the issues of PoGB like the revocation of wheat and flour subsidies, high taxation of electricity and severe underdevelopment of the PoGB, area.
Previously, several representatives of the Awami Action Committee (AAC) in the Taus region of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB) on Wednesday staged a protest against rapidly rising electricity bills in the area. The general public expressed their angst by raising slogans against the local administration for neglecting the issues faced by the people of PoGB.
A local leader belonging to the AAC during the protest said, "We don't need enemies from around the world anymore, our Chief Minister is enough for that. Secondly, we have our political representatives who, despite taking votes from us, remain puppets in the government's hands, these both are enough to loot our resources in PoGB. No one else has been able to ruin our lives more than these people. As they are the ones imposing heavy taxes and living luxurious lives on our hard-earned money."
He added, "They are the ones who have built huge resources from our money, while calling it money spent on protocol, they earn approximately 300 per cent more than what any of us could earn and we still live in poverty." (ANI)