Gilgit, GB, Pakistan administered Kashmir, June 1, 2025 —Dozens of women staged a peaceful sit-in today in the Amphary area of Gilgit, demanding the immediate release of Awami Action Committee (AAC) leaders who were arrested for raising their voices in defense of public rights in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans such as “Release Political Prisoners,” “Give Us Our Rights or Step Down,” and “Silence is Complicity — We Will Speak Out,” the protesters condemned the arrests as unjust and politically motivated.
Speaking to local media, several of the women emphasized that the AAC is neither an unconstitutional nor an illegal body, but a grassroots platform advocating for the fundamental rights of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
“Our leaders have been jailed simply for speaking on behalf of the public. That is not a crime — that is their duty,” one protester said. “We stand shoulder to shoulder with them. Our protest will continue until they are unconditionally released.”
The women also criticized what they termed as the government’s increasing intolerance toward peaceful activism, warning that further repression would only deepen the trust deficit between the state and the people of the region.
“Suppressing democratic voices will not silence us. The people of Gilgit-Baltistan will not back down from demanding their rights,” another participant declared.
Human rights activists and civil society organizations have echoed the call for the immediate release of the detained AAC leaders, stressing that peaceful protest is a constitutional right in any democratic society.
The government has yet to issue an official statement regarding the arrests or the growing protests.