In Pakistan, several leading political activists of the Awami Action Committee – Gilgit-Baltistan (AAC-GB) have been arrested on terrorism charges by the Pakistani state.
These charges came because they attended an iftar dinner, where they discussed peaceful protests in relation to price hikes, following the US-Israeli war on Iran.
This is a scandalous, premeditated attack by the Pakistani state, which is targeting these leaders because they have previously – and successfully – fought back against attacks on workers and the poor.
The Awami Action Committees are a form of community organising. In Gilgit-Baltistan in particular, the AAC has won a lot of authority amongst the masses for successfully lowering wheat flour prices and electricity tariffs; winning demands around education and working conditions; as well as exposing the privileges of the political elite.
One of the detainees, Ehsan Ali, is chairman of the AAC-GB, and a leading member of the Inqalabi Communist Party, the Pakistani section of the Revolutionary Communist International.
At the first hearing of Ehsan Ali’s case in March, the judge even remarked that his arrest is unjust, as meeting for an iftar dinner is not even a “simple crime” – let alone terrorist activity! Nevertheless, the judge granted the police an extension of Ehsan Ali’s custody, so that they could pursue their bogus ‘investigation’.
Other AAC leaders arrested include Nusrat Hussain, Mehboob Wali, Nafees Advocate and Mehar Ali. Others are still being hunted, and have been forced to go into hiding.
Ehsan Ali, who is in his sixties, is being held in very bad conditions, and his health has deteriorated. Despite orders from a judge on two separate occasions (11 and 18 March) he was not transferred to hospital until he lost consciousness in custody, meaning he had to be driven to court in an ambulance.
We have since learned that Amara Sattar, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Danyor, Gilgit Circle, was informed about Ehsan Ali’s critical health condition. She was told that a court order had demanded he be taken to hospital. Her response was blunt and chilling:
“Leave it, there are orders from above [meaning military intelligence]… let him die.”
Ehsan Ali’s court hearing has been pushed back multiple times, and he can be physically detained for up to 90 days without trial, in accordance with anti-terror legislation that is routinely used to prosecute activists.
With these continual bureaucratic manoeuvres, the Pakistani state clearly hopes Ehsan Ali will simply perish in captivity. This is what has spurred activists in Britain to put pressure on the Pakistani High Commission and consulates across Britain.
London
In London, the international solidarity campaign staged two protests outside the Pakistani High Commission. In the second on Thursday 16 April, international convenor of the campaign Joe Attard and RCP campaigns coordinator Fiona Lali were able to speak to a member of High Commissioner Dr. Mohammad Faisal’s team.
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As Joe handed over the letter containing our demands, he explained that Ehsan Ali has been unjustly arrested, is in poor health and we know that the Pakistani state wants him to die in captivity. We demanded the High Commissioner sign our letter and relay it to Islamabad.
We also asked the official from the High Commissioner’s office if she had ever heard of Ehsan Ali or the Awami Action Committee – she said she had not. We explained they have led peaceful protests on behalf of workers and the poor in Gilgit-Baltistan for a decade, and are being persecuted as a result.
She took the letter, promising the High Commissioner would send it to Islamabad. As we left, we noticed a sign by the door saying: “In the event of a protest, no High Commission staff should go outside.” Clearly, they remembered us from our previous visit!
And to make our message abundantly clear, so they do not forget Ehsan Ali and the Awami Action Committee, we loudly chanted “Hands off the AAC!”, “Free, free, free, Ehsan Ali!”, and “inquilab zindabad!”.
Bradford
15 activists mobilised outside the Pakistani consulate in Bradford on Thursday 16 April to demand the freedom of Ehsan Ali and members of the AAC.
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At the protest, activists launched a plan to reach out to local leaders of the community and leaflet widely across the Bradford area where there is a large Pakistani diaspora, who are very sympathetic to the cause of the arrested leaders.
In fact, after handing someone visiting the consulate a “Free Ehsan Ali” flyer, they walked into the building and spoke to a staff member inside, clearly pointing to the picture of Ehsan Ali in deep discussion.
This inspired everyone to make sure that every visitor was handed a leaflet so that they could know about the plight of Ehsan Ali, the AAC, and their unjust arrests.
We made it clear that we will be a regular sight until the demands of the campaign are met!
Campaign going forward
The campaign is gathering momentum with high profile backers including Genocide Watch producing a detailed report condemning the arbitrary arrests of Ehsan Ali, the leaders of the AAC, and demanding their immediate release.
Figures and organisations in Britain who have endorsed the campaign include John McDonnell MP, the former Shadow Chancellor; Ian Hodson, National President of the Bakers, Food, and Allied Workers Union, and Unite, the largest private sector union in the country.
Beyond Britain, support has come from Chris Smalls, co-founder of the Amazon Labor Union, DSA International Committee, academic Slavoj Žižek, and a video message from Kshama Sawant, former Seattle City council member and prospective candidate for the US House of Representatives.
For this campaign to succeed, we need the maximum possible solidarity and pressure. We therefore invite our readers to take the following steps to lend us your support:
- WRITE to politicians, individual trade union/student union leaders, activists and public figures, and ask them to support our campaign! Please let us know of any responses at aacgb-solidarity@marxist.com. See a list of the campaign’s prominent supporters here.
- CONTACT your Pakistani embassy/consulate/high commission, either individually or on behalf of a trade union/student union/political organisation. Please let us know of any responses at aacgb-solidarity@marxist.com. You can find a model letter here.
- PASS A MOTION in your trade union/student union and let us know at aacgb-solidarity@marxist.com. You can find a model motion text here.
- GET IN TOUCH with your nearest RCI group and join our protests outside of Pakistani embassies, consulates and high commissions!
