Published by: THE WORLD UYGHUR NETWORK NEWS, May 9, 1997

Islamabad, The Muslim, 05/05/97

Report from Sher Muhammad in Gilgit

The Gilgit administration have arrested 12 nationals of Peoples

Republic of China who illegally crossed the Shamshal Pass and entered

Gilgit a few days ago. They were arrested under Immigration Act and

sent to judicial lock-up in Gilgit and later bailed out by the district

and sessions court. China embassy in Islamabad had reportedly asked

the federal government to repatriate these 12 persons.

The Gilgit police rearrested and shifted them to police station Gulmit,

Gojal, in Upper Hunza for investigation. It was learnt that delegation

of Human Rights Commission Islamabad led by Shahid Amin Khan visited

Hunza and met with arrested Chinese.

Official sources disclosed that the Chief Executive of NAs, Gohar Ayub

Khan who is also Foreign Minister and Minister for KA & NA [Kashmir

Affairs & Northern Areas] Division took a serious notice of this

illegal immigration and asked the NAs administration to rearrest the 12

persons.

The arrested persons are Muslims aged between 17 to 20 years and belong

to Xinjiang autonomous region. They were identified as Abdul Samid,

Muhammad Ali, Noor Ali, Abdullah Muray, Bashir-ul-Rahman, Abdyl

Rasheed, Mohammad Karim, Abdullah, Moheet Ali, Mohammad Yaseen Abdul

Qasim and Abdul Salam of [Xinjiang] province of China.

It was learnt that the immigration official of China and Pakistan paid

a visit to Shamshal border between the two countries and a police

check-post was established there.

PPI adds: The Chinese Muslim youth have been sent back to China, it was

learnt on Saturday. The youth, belonging to Xinjiang province, which

borders Pakistan, entered Pakistan in April and were taken into custody

by the Gilgit police. They were deported to China after request by the

Chinese authorities.

Reports suggest that the Muslim youth fled the lone Muslim majority

Chinese province of Xinjiang fearing threats following the recent

violence there. The reports say the local people in Gilgit had bailed

the Chinese out of the court and were later admitted them in religious

schools.

Press reports say that a number of human rights organizations while

expressing concern about the safety of the Chinese boys conveyed their

apprehensions to Pakistani authorities. Some quarters expressed fear

that the boys might be executed after deportation to China. However, a

Chinese source in Islamabad termed the impression as unfounded and

misleading.