ISLAMABAD
A strong protest demonstration was held in Islamabad on Wednesday against the brutal killing of four members of a family, including two innocent children, in Skardu, with protesters demanding the immediate arrest of all those involved and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.
Organised by Gilgit-Baltistan Youth, the demonstration brought together members of the Gilgit-Baltistan community residing in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, civil society activists, students and journalists, as well as participants from Chitral, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and different parts of Punjab. The broad-based participation reflected nationwide solidarity with the bereaved family and growing public outrage over the horrific incident.
Carrying photographs of the victims and banners condemning the killings, demonstrators expressed solidarity with the grieving family and called upon the police and law-enforcement agencies to arrest all alleged perpetrators, accomplices and facilitators without delay. They emphasised that no individual involved in the crime should be allowed to escape accountability.
The protesters also urged the judiciary to ensure a transparent, impartial and speedy trial, followed by exemplary punishment for all those found guilty in accordance with the law.
Addressing the gathering, Alam Noor Haider, former media coordinator to the former Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan; senior journalist and social activist Roshan Din Diamer; student leader Zeeshan; senior journalist Sardar Shaukat Mehmood Khan; and other speakers strongly condemned the killings, describing the tragedy as an appalling example of human cruelty and a grave violation of fundamental human rights.
The speakers said the brutal killing of a husband and wife and their innocent children was an unspeakable act of violence that could never be justified under the pretext of traditional practices, social customs or personal disputes.
They observed that the circumstances surrounding the killings were deeply disturbing and had no place in a civilised society. No tradition, custom, family dispute or personal grievance, they stressed, could provide any justification for taking innocent human lives.
The speakers maintained that delivering justice to the victims was a fundamental responsibility of the state. They called upon the federal and Gilgit-Baltistan governments, police and judicial authorities to pursue the investigation without fear or favour, identify every individual involved and ensure that all those responsible were brought to justice.
Expressing solidarity with the bereaved family, they said the tragedy was not merely an issue concerning Gilgit-Baltistan but a matter of national concern. People from across Pakistan, they added, shared the grief of the affected family and stood united in demanding justice.
The speakers also strongly rejected attempts to malign the deceased husband and wife through propaganda, emphasising that the dignity of the victims must be respected. They said efforts to discredit the deceased should not be allowed to divert public attention from the gravity of the crime or undermine the demand for an impartial investigation and accountability.
Terming the incident an extreme manifestation of violence and a serious human rights violation, the speakers urged people throughout Gilgit-Baltistan to raise their voices against such atrocities and refuse to remain silent in the face of injustice.
They warned that silence and indifference towards such brutal crimes could encourage further violence and leave other vulnerable members of society exposed to similar tragedies. They stressed that collective resistance against injustice was essential to prevent another family, another daughter or another innocent child from suffering such a fate.
Concluding the demonstration, the speakers reiterated their demand for a transparent investigation, the immediate arrest of all those allegedly involved, effective prosecution and justice for the bereaved family.
They emphasised that the protection of human life, the dignity of every citizen and the supremacy of law must remain non-negotiable responsibilities of the state.
