Ehsan Ali and other leading members of the Awami Action Committee in the Pakistan-administered region of Gilgit Baltistan have been arrested once again. The Revolutionary Communist International is running a global campaign to secure the comrades’ release, starting with a global day of action on 2 April. Free Ehsan Ali! Hands off the AAC!
This is not the first time comrades of the AAC-GB have faced repression at the hands of the state. They were subjected to a wave of arrests last year and 15 leaders spent months in jail. Following a powerful international campaign, which received support from hundreds of prominent activists, trade unionists and politicians, we were able to secure all the AAC leaders’ release.
We freed our comrades before, we will do it again. But we need your help!
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.
- 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! Help to mobilise for our first global day of action on 2 April!
The situation so far (check back for updates)
On Tuesday 10 March, comrade Ehsan Ali, chairman of the Awami Action Committee Gilgit Baltistan and central leader of Inqalabi Communist Party (RCP) in Pakistan, was arrested during a nighttime raid at his home.
Several other leaders of the AAC have also been arrested, including Nusrat Hussain, Mehboob Wali, Nafees Advocate and Mehar Ali. Others are still being hunted and have been forced to go into hiding.
The AAC leaders are all charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act, along with sections 153-A and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deal with the criminal offence of inciting violence.
What is the ‘justification’ for these outrageous charges?
On the one hand, the regime in Pakistan is carrying out a massive energy price hike and is preemptively trying to silence dissent. The hike is partly a result of the impact of the US-Israeli imperialist war against Iran, which has thrown energy markets into disarray.
With the Iran War raging and a new conflict with Afghanistan looming, the regime is using the cover of conflict to settle scores. It employed the same strategy during the brief India-Pakistan War last year.
The war in Iran has also caused outrage amongst the masses in Pakistan who have huge sympathy for the masses in Iran and Palestine. There have been big protests against this war, starting on 1 March, which have been attacked by the security forces, including in Gilgit-Baltistan, where at least 14 people were killed by the authorities and many more injured.
Before his arrest, Ehsan Ali used his platform to oppose the killing of these protesters by the state authorities and tried to warn against provocations to incite sectarian tensions. He also visited the wounded in a hospital in Gilgit.
Who is really responsible for ‘terrorism’ and ‘inciting violence’?
On 8 March, leaders of the Awami Action Committee in Gilgit Baltistan, including Ehsan Ali, were invited to an iftar dinner, where they condemned the killings and discussed possible AAC protests around price hikes, the Land Reform Act and other issues affecting ordinary people.
This was the impetus for the comrades’ arrest two days later.
Comrade Ehsan Ali and other leaders of AAC were presented in the anti-terrorism court in Gilgit on 18 March under very high security. Their physical remand in police custody was extended so the police can have more time for their bogus ‘investigation’.
Ehsan Ali, who is in his sixties, is being held in very bad conditions and his health has deteriorated. Despite orders of a judge on two separate occasions (11 March and 18 March) he was not transferred to hospital.
He eventually developed pneumonia and lost consciousness in the police station. Only then was he transferred to hospital for emergency treatment.
Protests demanding the comrades’ release have already been held across the region, including a solidarity strike by lawyers in Gilgit-Baltistan on 16 March.
Ehsan Ali was brought to his delayed hearing on 26 March in an ambulance. The judge himself remarked in court that the police case is unjust and meeting at an iftar dinner is not even a simple crime, let alone terrorist activity.
Despite Ehsan Ali’s lawyers submitting a request for bail, the judge (under pressure from the authorities) extended police custody until 9 April. Usually the physical remand in police custody is maximum 14 days but due to new legislation this can extend to 90 days in terrorism cases.
Background information and our previous campaign
Gilgit-Baltistan is an administrative region of Pakistan. Corruption, exploitation and theft have left it in an extreme state of poverty and underdevelopment, although the territory is abundant in natural resources, particularly mineral wealth and water.
The administrative regime continually loots Gilgit-Baltistan on behalf of its masters in Islamabad. Locals are deprived of their livelihoods and lands, and the vibrant local ecosystem has been wrecked.
Ehsan Ali (from the RCP) set up an Awami Action Committee (a form of community defence organisation) in Gilgit Baltistan in 2014.
The AAC-GB has fought tirelessly on behalf of ordinary people for over a decade, campaigning for democratic rights, for the maintenance of subsidies on essential goods like wheat flour and for the provision of basic health and education facilities for the people of the region.
The AAC-GB has also resisted the environmental destruction inflicted on the territory through intense capitalist exploitation.
The state retaliated, first by placing Ehsan Ali on the infamous ‘Fourth Schedule’, an anti-terrorism measure that severely limited his freedom of movement.
Then, on 15 May 2025, a wave of arrests was launched targeting leaders of the AAC-GB with the intention of decapitating the organisation. In total, 15 people were taken into custody and tried under anti-terror laws, meaning they were denied bail.
Supporters of the AAC in Gilgit-Baltistan rallied to demand the detainees’ release. They held huge rallies and sit-ins in the territory, many of them led by women. The RCP also organised major protests all across Pakistan, as well as in occupied Kashmir. The state responded with arrests, torture, threats and by whipping up religious sectarianism.
The RCI spearheaded a global solidarity campaign in which comrades sent hundreds of letters of protest, made endless phone calls, and staged repeated rallies outside Pakistani diplomatic missions all over the world.
Our campaign was endorsed by campaign groups, leading activists, politicians and trade unions organising millions of workers all over the world including Amazon Labor Union leader Chris Smalls, Seattle City Councillor Kshama Sawant and prominent academic Slavoj Žižek. We also received the backing of unions and organisations representing millions of workers.
Finally, after almost three months of protest, all political prisoners from AAC-GB were released on bail.
This was a concrete demonstration of the power of international working-class solidarity, which we intend to mobilise once more to ensure the comrades’ release.
We will not rest until all of the AAC-GB leaders are freed and the repression against them brought to an end.
We say: the bosses and generals are the real terrorists!
Free Ehsan Ali! Hands off the AAC!
Prominent campaign supporters (individuals and groups)
International organisations
Revolutionary Communist International
Genocide Watch
Brazil
Glauber Braga, MP for PSOL
Britain
Fiona Lali, RCP Campaigns Coordinator, Parliamentary Candidate for Stratford and Bow
Pakistan
Lawyers of District Malir in Karachi
Model letter for embassies/high commissions/consulates:
[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.
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.
The 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.
These arrests are utterly without merit and we urge you to intervene against this naked injustice. Ehsan Ali is in poor health, having already contracted pneumonia while in custody. His life could be in danger if this situation continues.
Background to These Arrests
Mr Ehsan Ali has been subjected to continuous harassment by state authorities. Last year, he 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.
He then spent three months in jail after being arrested on 16 May 2025. 14 other individuals were also detained under anti-terrorism legislation. The arrests followed a legitimate political meeting scheduled for 24-25 May in Skardu to address issues of vital importance to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, including:
- The proposed minerals bill affecting natural resource ownership.
- Access to basic necessities, including flour subsidies.
- Provision of electricity, healthcare, and education services.
Ehsan Ali and the other leading AAC members were all finally granted bail on 14 August, which goes to show the charges against them were utterly groundless.
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.
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, which appear to be politically motivated.
- 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.
International Attention
We wish to inform you that this case has attracted (and is still attracting) significant international attention from:
- Trade union organisations across multiple countries.
- Student movements and civil society groups.
- Human rights organisations.
- Parliamentary representatives and elected officials.
- The continued detention of these leaders damages Pakistan’s international reputation and undermines its commitment to democratic governance and human rights.
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
Model Motion: Solidarity with Arrested Leaders of Awami Action Committee Gilgit-Baltistan
This [Union/Student Union] notes with grave concern:
- The arrest and detention of leading members of the Awami Action Committee – Gilgit-Baltistan (AAC-GB), including chairman Ehsan Ali, Nusrat Hussain, Mehboob Wali, Nafees Advocate and Mehar Ali on 10 March.
- That these comrades have been groundlessly charged under anti-terror laws and accused of “inciting violence”, charges that seem to be politically motivated.
- The 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.
- Ehsan Ali is in poor health, having already contracted pneumonia while in custody. His life could be in danger if this situation continues.
- In 2025, Ehsan Ali was placed on Pakistan’s notorious “Fourth Schedule” – legislation originally designed for monitoring terrorists – severely restricting his freedom of movement.
- That same year, Ehsan Ali and 14 other leading members of the AAC-GB spent three months in jail after being charged under anti-terror laws. They were released on bail on 14 August, which suggests the charges were baseless.
- These previous arrests occurred as the AAC-GB planned a meeting to address the ownership of natural resources in Gilgit-Baltistan.
- The political persecution of the AAC-GB by the Pakistan state is thus well-established and longstanding.
- That the AAC-GB has successfully organised mass movements which have secured vital concessions on flour subsidies, electricity provision, healthcare, and education for communities living in extreme poverty.
This [Union/Student Union] believes:
- These arrests represent a clear attack on democratic rights and trade union organising.
- The criminalisation of peaceful political activity sets a dangerous precedent for workers’ movements globally.
- International solidarity is essential to defend the right to organise against exploitation and oppression.
- The struggle of workers in Gilgit-Baltistan against poverty and resource extraction is part of the broader international working-class movement.
This [Union/Student Union] resolves to:
- Condemn the politically motivated arrests and demand the immediate and unconditional release of all detained AAC-GB leaders and activists.
- Write to the Pakistani High Commissioners and Ambassadors in various Pakistani embassies demanding the release of all arrested comrades and an end to state repression in Gilgit-Baltistan.
- Encourage members to participate in solidarity demonstrations and protests organised in support of the AAC-GB in front of Pakistani high commissions, embassies and consulates.
- Share information about this case through union/organisation communications, social media, and educational materials.
- Affiliate to future solidarity campaigns and maintain ongoing support for democratic movements in Pakistan.
This [Union/Student Union] commits to:
- Monitoring developments in this case and taking further action as required.
- Building links with international trade union organisations to coordinate solidarity efforts.
- Raising awareness of the broader struggle against imperialism and for workers’ rights in South Asia.
- Supporting similar movements facing state repression globally.
“An injury to one is an injury to all”
Proposed by: [Name]
Seconded by: [Name]
Date: [Date]
