Residents of Chitral organised a protest rally against the sentencing of MNA Abdul Latif and Wazirzada Kalash concerning the May 9 riots.
Wazirzada Kalash, a former MPA and Advisor to the Chief Minister on Minority Affairs, along with Member of the National Assembly Abdul Latif, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court in a terrorism case. This court verdict has elicited strong reactions in the Kalash Valley, where people have taken to the streets to stage massive protests.
The protesters claim that the allegations against Wazirzada and Abdul Latif are false and baseless. They carried placards with slogans such as “We are peaceful people,” “Stop injustice to Kalash representatives,” and “Withdraw false cases.”
Residents of the Kalash Valley have asserted that they are a peaceful community that always abides by the law. They believe that the charges of terrorism are entirely contrary to their culture and character. The protesters have appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of this decision and conduct a transparent and impartial review. They have warned that if their representatives are not granted immediate justice and the false cases are not withdrawn, they will broaden the scope of the protest nationwide and resist vigorously.
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