Ghanche June 12 (TNS): On the call of the civil society, a complete shutter- down strike was observed in Khaplu in Ghanche district against the controversial remarks of Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Secretary Babar Hayat Tarar during his visit to district Ghanche.
During the visit, the chief secretary behaved disparagingly with a local who had demanded to appoint a gynaecologist at the district headquarters hospital Khaplu.
Soon after the insulting remarks, the video went viral on the social media and it was widely shared and the users critically condemned the act of the CS demanding his immediate transfer from G-B.
During his visit to DHQ Khaplu, a social worker of the region asked from the chief secretary as to why the gynaecologist was not being sent to the hospital, as their children and women were dying during delivery owing to the absence of a lady doctor.
Instead of entertaining the local, the chief secretary instead came down hard on the local asking him, “how much taxes are you or the people of GB are paying, while the federal government was giving Rs100 billion to GB annually”.
The civil society including the Falahi committee Khaplu, Baltistan’s youth alliances, political dignitaries, businessman, and a large number students took to the streets after the insulting remarks of the top official. Holding placards, they chanted slogan against the GB chief secretary and demanded his immediate removal from the region.
Speaking to the protesters at main bazaar Khaplu, the speakers said that the chief secretary not only insulted the locals but also insulted the whole region which exhibited his colonial mentality. They urged federal and GB governments to take notice of the issue and take action against the highly arrogant officer.
Meanwhile, the Baltistan Students’ Federation also staged a protest at Yaadgar Chowk Skardu. Similarly, the Press Club Skardu boycotted all activities related to the chief secretary.
“All activities related to chief secretary have been boycotted by the press club until and unless he apologizes to the public,” senior journalist Sadiq Siddiqui posted on his Facebook post.
On the other hand, GB Information Department, in a Facebook post, claimed that “the remarks of the Chief Secretary were being used out of context by sharing selective parts of the whole video clip”. The information department said that the chief secretary did not want to insult the public.
“The questioner used anti-state remarks five times against Pakistan on the pretext of appointing a gynaecologist,” claimed the post.
