Army deployed in Gilgit-Baltistan for Chehlum of Imam Hussain, region’s Home Department clarified

Army deployed in Gilgit-Baltistan for Chehlum of Imam Hussain RA, the region’s Home Department clarified on Sunday.

The home department of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) issued a statement on Sunday to assert that the “situation in the region is completely peaceful”.

G-B government had imposed Section 144 across the province to maintain law and order, protect the life and property of the people, and avoid any untoward incident.

 

 

Endorsing the GB home department statement, Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi denied the deployment of the Pakistan Army in Gilgit-Baltistan “to maintain law and order”.

In a statement, the caretaker minister termed it “rumours” that the Pakistan Army has been called out in Gilgit-Baltistan, adding that the services have been sought on the occasion of the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain.

He took to X-platform on Sunday and quoted the Home Department of Gilgit-Baltistan as saying that “the situation in Gilgit-Baltistan is completely peaceful and the news and speculations circulating in media regarding the deployment of Pakistan Army are completely baseless.”

“All roads, trade centers, business activities, and educational institutions in G-B are open as usual. The services of Pakistan Army and Civil Armed Forces have been requisitioned only to maintain law and order on the eve of Chehlam of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA),” he added.

“Special measures have been taken for the security of procession routes and Imambargahs as per past practice,” Solangi said, adding, “Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 has been imposed across the region to maintain law and order, protect lives and property of the people and avoid any untoward incident.”

 

Media reports had earlier claimed that the G-B government had imposed Section 144 in Diamer’s Chilas, a ban on the display of weapons, aerial firing, religious gatherings, and any attempts to obstruct highways as a form of protest.

It was also reported that the G-B government decided to deploy Rangers, G-B Scouts, and Frontier Corps personnel in major cities across the region.