Gilgit-Baltistan witnesses growing influence of Taliban

GILGIT-BALTISTAN: Amid the regressive policies of Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan is witnessing the growing influence of the Taliban in the region.

A girls' school in Gilgit-Baltistan's Diamer district was burned down early on Tuesday by a group of unknown miscreants. The arsonist kidnapped the school guard on duty and set the school on fire, reported local media. A total of 68 girl students were enrolled in this school. Multiple women leaders and activists protested against this attack and demanded a quick response from the GB Govt.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) women's wing Vice President and Parliamentary Secretary for Education, GB Suraya Zaman condemned the attack and assured that strict action would be taken against the culprits and the conspiracy to keep girl students away from education, reported the local media.

Locals led by Shabeer Ahmed Qureshi (President of the Diamer Youth Federation) protested against the incident on the streets and criticized the government for its inaction to catch the culprits, reported Local media.

The locals said that in 2018, miscreants had set 13 girls' schools on fire across the district but the government did not take any action at that time either. An FIR was registered against unknown persons to curb the local's anger.

As per inputs, the school was set on fire by a Taliban-affiliated group (Mujahideen Gilgit-Baltistan & Kohistan). Taliban is against any progressive activities of women, professes sharia law and undertakes such violent acts to show its relevance. Sadly, the Pak administration is unable to control it, reported local media.

In recent times, attacks on girls' institutes and events have increased which indicates the growing influence of the Taliban and the regressive mindset of its followers.

Last month, a group of Taliban terrorists briefly kidnapped the senior minister of GB, Col Obaidullah and kept him as a hostage so as stop the girl sports festival organised in GB and threaten the locals against such activities, local media reported.

Diamer is heavily influenced by the Taliban and its regressive anti-women policies. Due to this, the Diamer region has lacked both education and development.

The lawlessness in Diamer, GB region is a failure of the Pak Govt which has been unable to resist the growth of the Taliban. Pak establishment and administration cannot provide protection and basic rights to the locals.

This attack further highlights the indifference of Pakistan to the local issues of GB. More than 10 girls' schools have reported arson attacks in Diamer in the past few months but culprits are still roaming freely.

In a face-saving exercise by the local establishment, it is ruling out the terrorism angle in this incident, reported local media. (ANI)

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