I belong to a region that is identity-less, begging for an identity since time immemorial. A region whose mountains are colored with the Pakistani flag but has no existence in the constitution of Pakistan. A region that is the colony of a post-colonial country. A region that fought wars and sacrificed its people for a state that constantly refused to adopt it. A region whose natives to this day are unable to claim their right to their land. A region that was named a decade ago by a dictator, Pervaiz Musharaf as “Gilgit Baltistan”.
The history of Gilgit Baltistan is often narrated by those post-partition minds who lack the wisdom to see it beyond the ‘Pakistani lens’. Many historians wrote that Gilgit Baltistan was a part of the State of Kashmir but that is a desired deduction made by “the blunder makers” who want to present a distorted image of history that is far from reality.
After the partition, the colonial lines divided the centuries-old unit into three pieces; China under Chairman Mao’s Leadership took the Tibetan, Ladakh went into India’s pocket while Gilgit Baltistan was in no one’s map but on everyone’s lap.
Gilgit Baltistan (G.B) was a part of the State of Tibet currently in China. Tibet was made up of the G.B, Kargil and Ladakh, which is currently a part of India. After the partition, the colonial lines divided the centuries-old unit into three pieces; China under Chairman Mao’s Leadership took the Tibetan, Ladakh went into India’s pocket while Gilgit Baltistan was in no one’s map but on everyone’s lap.
There are 14 districts in Gilgit Baltistan while more than eight languages are spoken in the region. Geographically, Gilgit Baltistan occupies an important place connecting 3 nation-states: India, China and Afghanistan.
After the merciless partition that wreaked havoc on millions of people and succeeded in making thousands of families homeless and fed some minds with false religious hopes, Gilgit Baltistan too had to fight a war for independence from the Dogras and although the region was successful in weeding them out, independence for GB was still nowhere in horizon as it ceded to Pakistan.
It took five decades to have democratic elections in Gilgit Baltistan when in 2009 , the symbolic self-rule was established by creating an elected legislative assembly and an Advisory Council.
After more than three decades, the state of Pakistan suddenly remembered the need to look into this part that too, when Kargil’s storm brewed. It was a ruthless war, though it turned out to be somewhat fortunate for GB as the war brought the matter to the spotlight. It took five decades to have democratic elections in Gilgit Baltistan when in 2009 , the symbolic self-rule was established by creating an elected legislative assembly and an Advisory Council, whose members were selected by the federal government. The indigenous people of GB considered this step as sheer window dressing, with the newly elected assembly as pro-Pakistani and the final authority in the hands of Islamabad. If someone looks into the power of the chief minister of Gilgit Baltistan, they would find it less than that of any assistant commissioner of Lahore or Islamabad.
Today, there are scores of problems and issues that exist in Gilgit Baltistan, but the mantra of ‘freedom’ is still being sold there. The electables and their leaders from Islamabad make false promises of giving G.B the status of fifth province of Pakistan in every election. The previous PTI Government even started working on a bill to give the provincial status to G.B, later it was discussed in the NFC Award and the rumors had that the committee approved and further proceedings were underway to provide “ transitional constitutional provincial status to Gilgit Baltistan”, in other words, it would be given no more authority than a district of KP. If CPEC is the gateway to progress and development , Gilgit Baltistan is the gateway to CPEC.
In recent years many developments have been made by the government to invest in tourist spots which resulted in tremendous tourist attraction from all over the world, though it proved to be no good news for the unemployed indeginous population who was and still is being deprived of basic human necessities by the post-colonial state. The state only seems interested in the beauty of the region and wants to use that beauty to satisfy its own hunger.
Gilgit Baltistan has been hanging on for years, patiently awaiting its fate while Islamabad continues to slumber.
Saran Khan is a student. He belongs to Gilgit Baltistan.