PPP, PSF Gilgit-Baltistan Chapter strongly condemn JUI’s statement – by Naeem Khan
Participants of a recent All Parties Kashmir Conference unanimously declared Gilgit Baltistan as integral part of Kashmir
In recent All Parties Kashmir Conference, Maulana Fazlur Rehman of the JUI said that according to his party’s policy, Gilgit–Baltistan is an integral part of Kashmir.
The participants of the so called All parties Kashmir Conference have no right to decide the fate of Giglit Baltistan because they don’t represent the people of Gilgit and Baltistan. It is only the right of people of Giglit Baltistan and their elected representatives to decide about their future.
Historical Perspective
Geographically 72,971 sq. Kms of area of Gilgit Baltistan are connected with Indian held Jammu & Kashmir through Ladakh & Kargil . Traditionally the pre-independence traders used pony tract for trade activities between Kashmir & Gilgit- Baltistan. The people of this area got independence from Dogra Raj in 1948 from Maha raja Ranjeet Sing without any foreign help and made their own government headed by Shah Rais Khan as the pioneer ruler.Later they asked newly born Pakistan government to take over the charge And on their invitation two Pakistani officials Sardar Muhammad Alam Khan & Malik Muhammad Azeem both from Hazara) took the charge of Gilgit- Baltistan .Thus this area formally & administratively merged with Pakistan.
Gilgit Baltistan comprising of seven districts Gilgit, Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, Hunza Nagir, Skardu & Ganchee, while the common dialects are Shina, Balti, Brushiski & Khawar. Linguistically, traditionally and even geographically Gilgit Baltistan has no link with Azad Kashmir as here the people of Kashmir don’t even familiar with the dialects of Gilgit Baltistan as they speak Hindko and Pahari as their dialect. More over there is no geographic link between the two parts .
In case of merger as suggested by certain quarters, it will be no different former East and West Pakistan (a total unnatural merger). The people of both the parts have totally different traditions and cultural values.
Gilgit Baltistan can be a part of Kashmir only after merger of two parts of Kashmir as only then this area can get direct access with Kashmir through Ladakh & Kargil. Interestingly Ladakh & Kargil people speak Balti as their dialect as it was a part of Gilgit Baltistan but later captured by India in 1965 & 1971wars.
According to PYO-GB Chapter, merger of Gilgit Baltistan with Azad Kashmir suits JUI(F); some other religious parties supports merger of GB and AJK on sectarian grounds , as only with this proposed merger they can get some additional seats on sectarian grounds and will be in a position to intervene in policy matters. JUI & some religious parties have solid vote bank only in Diamer district and maybe some influence in Gilgit district. Now you can assume yourself that how can they endorse the decision of a full fledged fifth province of Pakistan as they have no vote bank in reaming five districts of the region.
The amendment if proposed by PPP government in the constitution will be backed byPML, ANP, MQM,FATA Parliamentarians and other minor political parties. At the same time I am hopeful PPP think tank will adopt such measures through which the government would be successful to pass amendment (If presented) unanimously like they get it approved unanimously in case of renaming of NWFP to Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa, despite serious reservations by PML-N and PML-Q.
It is the responsibility of the persons at the helm of affairs of Gilgit Baltistan to build pressure on federal government and legislators in Islamabad for early tabling of the constitutional amendment in this regard.
Writer is a PYO Activist from Hunza
We will be better off by trading Kashmir with Mullah Fazloo and his ilk. The people of Gilgit Baltistan do not consider themselves a part of Kashmir nor have they been given any representation in the Kashmir assembly. Mullah Fazloo has lost his mind.
People of this strategically important “province” consider themselves patriotic Pakistanis and have given historic sacrifices for the country during the last 63 years. But, unfortunately, they’ve not been given equal rights of citizenship so far as people of other provinces enjoy under the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
We, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, have no representation in the Pakistani Parliament. Therefore, our voice never reaches the corridors of power! Since I started my career as a journalist in the mainstream media of the country, I’ve been paying taxes according to the law but still I’ve no right of vote in this country for which three generations of my family have given sacrifices. I’m a more equal citizen of Pakistan! Because I’m from Gilgit-Baltistan, a region about which the Constitution of this country is silent.
A friend says that if Gilgit-Baltistan had Constitutional rights in Pakistan then any Minister, Member National Assembly or Senator would have raised my case in the corridors of power. It seems true in the current situation as parliamentarians have failed to escape from narrow-minded provincialism! After attempts on my life, I’m restricted to my home for the last seven months but the democratic government is still silent. There is not even one parliamentarian in the country who could dare to speak against the powerful accused. Alas! We’ve lost the spirit of Mr. Jinnah’s liberal Pakistan.
GILGIT-BALTISTAN & AZAD KASHMIR: As I’ve said earlier, historical evidences show that the Maharaja of Kashmir had colonized Gilgit-Baltistan against the wishes of the local population for about a century which ended in 1947.
Geographical, racial and linguistic differences have always remained there, and for the last six decades they have further widened due to the separate statuses of both regions. Now there’s a globalize view of Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan. The narrow-minded Kashmirism has become of age with those leaders who lived out of the region but advocated for making the liberated regain again a part of Kashmir – the broken and bleeding territory of South Asia!
Here are some points which are really disturbing for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
1- The over 72,000 sq/km Gilgit-Baltistan region has no Constitutional right even within Pakistan, and the people of the region are being denied basic human rights. It is a great tragedy in the 21st century.
2- The Pakistan-controlled 4,000 sq/km AJK region enjoys all rights having its own President, Prime Minister, Parliament, High Court and Supreme Court.
3- Gilgit-Baltistan has been deprived of development projects. Even the capital city Gilgit lacks electricity. Now, tragically, the region’s proposed Diamer Dam’s royalty is going to the neighboring province of Pakhtunkhwa because it has representatives in the Parliament but Gilgit-Baltistan is an orphan! Network of roads is a dream in our mountainous region. The Karakoram Highway has been blocked by landslide and for the last 10 months, the 25,000 people of upper Hunza, Gojal, have been cut off from rest of the country. However, relief comes to the stranded area by road from China.
4- The AJK has been developed to a great extent. Power is available even in the far-flung villages of the region. There’s a network of roads in the scattered valleys.
5- Gilgit-Baltistan lacks leadership as the establishment especially the secret agencies have never let the local leadership to grow at national level. The establishment wants deaf and dumb public representatives who could not speak against the injustices. Foreign official trips are beyond the thought of the local leaders; many of them have not even attended the sessions of the Pakistani Parliament. Majority public representatives are half-literate. They don’t know how to talk in proper Urdu, English is beyond their control! They’re the “yes-men” of the cunning establishment. Some of them don’t know even how to dress for a state-level function and eat at a five-star hotel. However, those few daring and educated leaders who speak against the injustices particularly the inhuman and undemocratic behavior of the bureaucrats, they face humiliation of the worst kind. A noble man who dared to stand against a candidate of the establishment during the last election was humiliated in the traditional disgusting way of the ISI: two of his daughters were maligned at the Karakoram International University Gilgit – considered the secret agency’s nursery for a new breed of militants – through the brigade of rogue bullies.
6- The leaders of AJK have been given global exposure. They go on official tours to Europe, Americas and other regions, supposedly to highlight the issue of Kashmir. They often attend international meetings and UN sessions. This has given them immense confidence, needed to represent public at any forum. Therefore, Kashmiris have become members of the Parliament not only in India and Pakistan but also in the United Kingdom.
7- Many public representatives of Gilgit-Baltistan are poor and after the session of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly, some of them even shepherd sheep and cattle.
8- Many public representatives of AJK have industrial and business units not only in the AJK and Pakistan but also in other countries.
[From: Gilgit-Baltistan – The Orphaned Land of Pakistan
By Habib R. Sulemani] http://theterrorland.blogspot.com/2010/11/gilgit-baltistan-orphaned-land-of.html
Only in Pakistan – Country which has fought with its neighbour for 63 years is now arguing that area of land it occupies which is NOT under dispute – SHOULD be made an area of DISPUTE!
In case if a Kashmir referendum does happen and if Kashmir chooses the independence option – not only Azad Kashmir goes, so does Gilgit-Baltistan – Is this a fair assumption?
a cunning and wise politician indeed
i am adil n i belong to indian occupied kashmir…i came to this blog by chance….i read the comnts of Np…i wld like to say him…the people of gilit have every right to hv their rights…weather gilgit was or was not the part of kashmir….itz a secondry issue…but the thing is u are comnt abut the various right which gilgit is lacking….n azad kashmir is having…but based on this u cant critisize kashmiri….n kashmiri….if u are lacking constitutional rights….roads….building….bla bla….kashmir n kashmiris hv nothing to do with it….dont forget it is your own country which has neglected you…the people of kashmir are only claiming gilfit its part…n if history…shows kargil has nevar said that its not the part of kasmir has to do with ur devlopment…supream court…high court…dnt forget its your country pakistan…which has devlopmentical neglected…gilgit…after all it is a common sen