Thousands of Shia Muslims protest against 'Arbaeen ban' in Gilgit

Thousands of Shia Muslims of Gilgit have staged a peaceful rally in Danyore to protest the biased decision of Gilgit-Baltistan government not to allow students to host Youm-e-Hussain (AS) to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS) and his companions in educational institutions.

The protestors also demanded release of arrested protestors and innocent Shia Muslims and withdraw cases against 148 students forthwith.

The protest began on Sunday and continued till the filing of this report late on Tuesday.

Arif Hussain Qanbari of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen and more than a dozen students were arrested for defying the government’s ban on Youm-e-Hussain (AS).

The protestors vowed that they would continue protest as long as government meets all their demands.

Shia Muslims also demanded exclusion of names of Allama Mohsin Najafi, Allama Amin Shaheedi and all other eminent Shia scholars who were named in fourth schedule.

They demanded restoration of their citizenships and banks accounts.

It is also relevant to add here that Gilgit-Baltistan is a Shia majority province in Pakistan on the borders of Kashmir.