On 14 May, the Pakistani state arrested leading members of the Awaami Action Committee – Gilgit-Baltistan (AAC-GB) on trumped up charges of terrorism, in a flagrant act of political repression.
At the time of writing, these comrades have been refused bail, subject to torture, horrednous conditions, and are still in prison awaiting a hearing, which is now set for 11 June.
Amongst those arrested are three members of the Inqalabi Communist Party – the Pakistani section of the Revolutionary Communist International (RCI). This includes Ehsan Ali, the chairman of the Action Committee.
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The activists in the AAC-GB have been fighting for the rights of the poor masses in the region and in the last few years have successfully led mass movements to win demands such as lowering the cost of flour and electricity.
Most recently they have been organising against a minerals bill which gives the Pakistani state ownership of the land – and the rights to sell it off to the imperialist vultures.
This bill will have a devastating economic impact on the masses of Gilgit-Baltistan who have been farming the land for centuries. It will put them at the mercy of parasitic mining companies who want to tear the land apart for its resources.
The AAC-GB demanded a national assembly to prepare a plan of mass action against this hated minerals bill.
The ruling class in Pakistan have clearly felt threatened by the mass movement that has been building in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Amidst this growing movement, the police forbade AAC-GB activists to travel to the meeting they organised. They peacefully protested against this measure.
Due to participating in the protest, the committee leaders were arrested and charged with disrupting public order for raising slogans against the state authorities. These disgraceful arrests are entirely undemocratic.
They now sit awaiting trial in the anti-terrorism court, all for the ‘crime’ of organising against the imperialist plunder of the land, and for the demand that the people should control the land and its resources.
International solidarity
RCI members around the world have been organising solidarity demonstrations against the arrests, including in Britain, the US, Denmark, Austria, Spain, Mexico, Slovakia, Italy, and across Pakistan.
In Brazil, RCI members reached out to Glauber Braga, an MP for the Socialism and Liberty Party, and he spoke about the situation in Gilgit-Baltistan in parliament. The Italian comrades have got an MP from Sinistra Italiana to raise the matter in the Italian parliament.
Brazilian MP @Glauber_Braga (PSOL-Rio de Janeiro) speaks out in solidarity with arrested leaders of Awami Action Committee Gilgit-Baltistan and @rcipakistan at Brazilian Parliament #ReleaseEhsanAli #AwamiActionCommittee #GilgitBaltistan pic.twitter.com/1PwbDNpgtu
— Jorge Martin ☭ (@marxistJorge) May 21, 2025
In Britain, RCP members have been protesting outside of the Pakistani High Commission in London and consulates in Manchester and Birmingham, to demand the release of all of the arrested AAC-GB activists, and for all charges to be dropped.
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We are also raising the issue throughout the trade union movement, with motions currently being raised in Unison, the NEU, and the UCU. (See below for a model motion for student / trade unions).
In Manchester and Birmingham, comrades were able to hand our letter in personally to the consuls general, and asked them to forward our concerns to the High Commissioner. At the time of publication, we are yet to hear a response.
In London, our initial visit to give a letter to the High Commissioner resulted in them calling the police to get rid of us! Shamefully, neither the Commissioner nor any representative came to speak to us.
@fionalali Release our comrades #gilgitbaltistan #ReleaseEshanAli ♬ original sound – Fiona Lali
We went back a few days later to protest even louder, making sure everyone around could hear the names of our arrested comrades and everything that has been happening to them. Once again, the High Commissioner did not acknowledge us or even send anyone to receive our letter.
Terrible conditions
Prior to our second visit, we had received reports that some of the younger activists had been mistreated and tortured whilst in prison in an attempt to get them to make false confessions.
Meanwhile, Ehsan Ali was hospitalised due to illness from the terrible conditions in the prison. After two days in hospital, he was thrown back in prison – against the advice of the doctors – and had his medical records taken.
Ehsan Ali was also offered a deal by the state in exchange for coming out in support of the Pakistani state and distancing himself from the politics of the younger arrested comrades. He has refused to betray his principles.
He spoke to the media while being transferred from the hospital to prison and said “those who should be in jail are in power, and those who should be free are in jail”.
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At present, Ehsan Ali is in critical condition, suffering severe dysentery. He needs urgent specialist attention but this is being prevented. This is intolerable. His life is at risk. We demand he be released and given immediate access to hospital treatment!
Despite the continued state repression, the AAC-GB is continuing to organise against the minerals bill, with different sections being drawn in, and solidarity protests have spread outside Gilgit-Baltistan into Kashmir and in Pakistani cities such as Lahore and Karachi.
Our comrades, despite the incredibly difficult conditions they face, are determined to continue the struggle – and they will not be intimidated.
Here in Britain and across the International, we will continue to support the struggles of the oppressed in Pakistan. We will continue the fight for the release of those unjustly imprisoned.
The best support we can give is to continue to organise against our own imperialist ruling class – to fight for international socialist revolution!
Sign and share our petition!
Pass this model motion in your student / trade union!
