[Date]
His/Her Excellency [Name]
High Commissioner/Ambassador of Pakistan
[Address of Pakistani Mission]
[City, Country]
Your Excellency,
Re: Urgent Appeal for the Release of Detained Leaders of Awami Action Committee Gilgit-Baltistan
We, on behalf of [your organisation], write to express our grave concern regarding the recent arrest and detention of prominent leaders of the Awami Action Committee Gilgit-Baltistan (AAC-GB) by Pakistani authorities. These peaceful activists are being held on false charges in conditions that threaten their lives.
Humanitarian organisations such as Amnesty International and Genocide Watch have decried the violation of the detainees’ human rights and demanded their release. A public petition calling for justice has amassed thousands of signatures from all over the world.
Moreover, hundreds of politicians (e.g. Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil Glauber Braga and former British Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell), trade unions representing millions of members (e.g. Unite the Union and the BMA), and political organisations (e.g. the Democratic Socialists of America) have demanded the release of Ehsan Ali and arrested AAC leaders.
Details of Concern
On 10 March, Pakistani police arrested several leading figures, including:
- Ehsan Ali, Chairman of AAC-GB and Advocate.
- Nusrat Hussain, AAC-GB.
- Mehboob Wali, AAC-GB
- Nafees AAC-GB and Advocate
- Mehar Ali, AAC-GB
These individuals have been charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act, along with sections 153-A and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code, after attending an iftar dinner to discuss price hikes, the Land Reform Act and other issues. This is a clearly unjustified attack on these individuals’ democratic rights and we demand their immediate release.
A judge at Ehsan Ali’s hearing on 26 March even acknowledged that attending an iftar dinner does not constitute a “simple crime”, let alone an act of terrorism.
It has been alleged that Amara Sattar, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Danyor, Gilgit Circle, was informed about Ehsan Ali’s critical health condition, requiring hospitalisation, and responded: “Leave it, there are orders from above … let him die.”
Advocate Ali and the AAC have long been subject to harassment by state authorities. Last year, Advocate Ali was placed on the so-called ‘Fourth Schedule’ – legislation that severely restricts freedom of movement, which was originally designed for monitoring suspected terrorists. This represents a gross misuse of anti-terrorism legislation against legitimate political organisers.
Advocate Ali spent three months in jail after being arrested on 16 May 2025, alongside other AAC leaders. Following legal challenges and a global campaign for justice, they were all granted bail by 14 August 2025, only to be detained once again in March this year.
Democratic Rights and International Standards
The AAC-GB has operated peacefully and successfully within democratic frameworks, achieving significant victories for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan:
- Securing flour subsidies for communities facing food insecurity.
- Negotiating improved access to electricity and essential services.
- Advocating for healthcare and educational provision in underserved areas.
These activities represent legitimate political organising and advocacy that should be protected under Pakistani law and international human rights standards, including:
- The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (to which Pakistan is a signatory).
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Pakistan’s own constitutional guarantees of freedom of assembly and expression.
As Amnesty International notes in its report:
“[Ehsan Ali’s] continued detention has raised grave concerns regarding his right to life and due process. Despite applications filed by his lawyers requesting hospitalization, Ehsan was denied appropriate medical care until his condition drastically worsened. He was transferred to hospital only after developing pneumonia and losing consciousness while in police custody.
“His lawyers have raised concerns that given his underlying heart condition and current health, the care being provided at the current medical facility is inadequate.
“In addition, other AAC activists named in the case have been forced to curtail their right to freedom of movement, association, peaceful assembly and freedom of expression out of fear of arrest and remain unable to campaign for the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan on 7 June 2026.
“Amnesty International calls on the Pakistani authorities to immediately release all detained AAC activists and drop all charges against them related to their peaceful activism. Pending release, the authorities must ensure that immediate access to adequate healthcare is provided to all detainees.
“Arbitrary detentions of AAC members must not be used to curtail the rights guaranteed under international human rights law, including in the lead up, during and after to the elections in Gilgit-Baltistan.”
Campaign Demands
In light of the above, we supporters of the solidarity campaign for the AAC-GB respectfully demand:
- Immediate and unconditional release of all detained AAC-GB leaders and activists.
- Dropping of all charges against the detained individuals.
- Ehsan Ali to be removed from the Fourth Schedule.
- End to harassment and surveillance of AAC-GB members and supporters.
- Respect for democratic rights, including freedom of assembly, expression, and political organisation in Gilgit-Baltistan.
- Implementation of the fourteen-point charter of demands previously agreed to by the Gilgit-Baltistan government.
Request for Action
We call upon you to:
- Convey these concerns urgently to the relevant authorities in Islamabad.
- Use your diplomatic influence to secure the immediate release of the detained individuals.
- Provide us with an update on actions taken to address this situation.
- Facilitate dialogue between the Pakistani government and AAC-GB representatives.
In Short
The people of Gilgit-Baltistan deserve the same democratic rights and freedoms enjoyed by all Pakistani citizens. The criminalisation of peaceful political organising sets a dangerous precedent and undermines Pakistan’s democratic institutions.
We look forward to your urgent intervention in this matter and to receiving confirmation of steps taken to secure the release of these dedicated community leaders.
The international labour movement stands in solidarity with our comrades in Gilgit-Baltistan, and we will continue to monitor this situation closely.
Yours respectfully,
[Signature]
[Name and Title]
[Organisation]
[Contact Details]
CC:
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan (spokesperson.office1@mofa.gov.pk)
Minister of Interior, Pakistan (dslaw2@interior.gov.pk)
Chief Minister, Gilgit-Baltistan (info@gilgitbaltistan.gov.pk)
[Local MPs/Parliamentary Representatives]
contact@pakistansolidarity.org