As India and Pakistan faced off in the Asia Cup final in Dubai, jailed Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, raised questions over criticism of his visit to Pakistan earlier this year for a climate conference.
Posting on X, Angmo wrote: “If India can play cricket with Pakistan, why can’t one of its heroes (Sonam Wangchuk) attend a UN conference there?”
She clarified that Wangchuk’s February trip to Pakistan was purely professional, linked to the ‘Breathe Pakistan’ conference, jointly organised by the United Nations’ Pakistan chapter and Dawn Media, with participation from multiple international organisations. Angmo, who also attended the event, said she presented a paper on women’s role in climate change while Wangchuk praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s climate initiatives during his speech.
Her statement came after Ladakh Police chief SD Singh Jamwal suggested Wangchuk’s Pakistan visit could indicate “links” across the border. Rejecting the claim, Angmo said: “How can you portray as anti-national a person who has worked on shelters for the Indian Army and called for boycotting Chinese goods?”
The activist, widely known for his innovations and climate advocacy, has been on repeated hunger strikes since Ladakh lost its special protections in 2019, following the region’s separation from Jammu and Kashmir. He was recently booked under the National Security Act (NSA), which allows detention without trial for up to a year—an action Angmo called “a very wrong charge,” arguing that her husband poses no threat to public order.
She also addressed reports that Wangchuk made “provocative” remarks, explaining that his references to protests in Nepal and Bangladesh were only examples of how governments should remain responsive to people’s concerns. According to her, parts of his Ladakhi statements were mistranslated.
Wangchuk, who had earlier condemned the violence that broke out during Ladakh’s statehood protests, ended his hunger strike on September 24, expressing disappointment at the turn of events.
Source:Africa Publicity
