Social media activist arrested from Hunza
HAH Correspondent
HUNZA, Aug 8: A social media activist has been detained by the Hunza District police, The High Asia Herald has learnt through credible sources.
According to the sources, #Hasnain #Ramal, a prominent political and social activist had been very vocal in highlighting public issues on social media.
He has detained under Anti-Terrorism Act (ATC) and #Cyber #Crime #Act 2016, from his native town in #Hunza.
According to #Ehsan #Ali Advocate, President Supreme Appellate Court Bar Association (SACBA) said Ramal was being questioned by a joint investigation team (JIT) for his posts on social media. He will be produced before a court on Wednesday, he said.
Earlier Ramal’s name was put on Schedule 4 of the #ATA but on the intervention of Ehsan Advocate, the issue was resolved.
On Tuesday a police team from Hunza District arrested him apparently for raising political, national and basic human rights’ issues of Gilgit-Baltistan on social media.
Ramal was also very active and on the forefront of a movement launched by the Awami Action Movement for the restoration of subsidy on wheat and other essential items that were withdrawn four years ago by the PML-N government.
The movement was very successful and a rare demonstration of unity among different religious, nationalist and progressive parties in the sectarian-infested political atmosphere of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The government had to budge and restored subsidy on food items.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Awami Workers Party Gilgit-Baltistan (AWP-GB) and #AWP Rawalpindi-Islamabad chapter have expressed concern over the arrest of Ramal under trumped up charges.
The #AWP-GB leaders including Inayat Abdali, Ikram Jamal, Akhun Bai and AWP Pindi-Islamabad leaders Nusrat Hussain, Waqas Malik, and others demanded the immediate release of Ramal and other nationalist and progressive political activists.
They also expressed concern over rising incidents of enforced disappearances in Sindh, Balochistan and GB.
They said, on the one hand, the government is allowing terrorist outfits to operate in the country without any hindrance, on the other hand, progressive, nationalist and human rights activists are victimised for raising their voices for their fundamental national, political and democratic rights peacefully.
They demanded immediate recovery of the missing activists including Punhal Sario and Ramal.
They also demanded the removal of activists’ names from Schedule 4.
