People of Gilgit Baltistan: The Political Orphans

> implications of this grave injustice to more than 20 million people of this region
20 million ?

hmmm ... interesting.

These enlightened bureaucrats of the region try to downplay the importance of this deprivation of constitutional rights. Their stance is that our region needs development, better infrastructure, and communication networks. The insistence on self rule or provincial status is merely utopian ideal for them. The speeches of our nationalists seem to fall on deaf ears. Now, it does not take the political genius of Noam Chomsky or Tariq Ali to understand the implications of this grave injustice to more than 20 million people of this region. The political vacuum has given a boom to the activities of religious fanatics. The place of the political leadership has been filled by the clerics who foil sectarian sentiments to secure a dominating place on the regional scene. Gilgit Baltistan are suffering the worst sectarian strife in our beloved Islamic Republic. Areas are designated as no-go zones for certain sects and people are migrating to secure places. The worst part is that the youth of this region are the frontrunners in this violence.

The preceeding passage needs to be plastered on the walls of the NA and GHQ, and that of every person with any influence whatsoever on the issue of the political status of the Gilgitees. And it should be taken note of by every NGO and person of consience.

Pakis are hypocrites to the bone. On the one hand, they shed copious tears for every atrocity where Muslims are the victims. But right under their nose, the so-called ``Azad`` Kashmiris have to sign an undertaking promising full support to the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan if they want to stand in local elections. As to folks in the Northern Areas, they can`t even elect the representatives who govern them. The GHQ selects their representatives. There isn`t a country in the world, except perhaps North Korea, where such a blatant injuctice is allowed to continue, even 60 years after it attained ``independence``.

great article....!

but alas thats all itll ever be

Syed Ali
You should send this article to newsline or dawn. Youre absolutely right about the people of your region being marginalised...and all we, in the big cities ever hear about gilgit/baltistan is when sectarian riots break out...and eventually, we all prefer to forget even that

Syed Ali:

Next month Pakistan will have completed 59 years of its existance but not its house in order.

It is in a mess not caused by outsiders, but by the foolish behaviour of people themselves to a large extent. Even persons like you are are responsible. No one else.

How to overcome this? Give up all this insane idea of mixing religion and politics and seperate it. Finally get rid of military rule. Then you will have a liberation.

The disenfranchisement of the people of the Northern area and to a lesser extent FATA is a terrible indictment of the political system in Pakistan. I read earlier on that the previous Minister for SAFRON (The Federal Minister in charge of the Northern areas) Faisal Saleh Hayat had been comparatively quite good. How is the new Minister doing?

I`ve always explained Pakistans real legal system quite simply. If you were to add all the areas of Pakistan not governmed by the normal legal system..(that would include much of Baluchistan, NWFP & Punjabs PATA ..provincially administered tribal areas, FATA and the Northern areas) the end result would be in total covered area almost half the country.

If you accept that fact, the other half of the country has a poorly funded, undermanned (the only government sector which isn`t overstaffed in Pakistan is the judicial sector!) and demoralised judicial system. What pray tell would be the end result?

This is a great article by Syed Ali sahib and it is heartening to hear a voice of historic, heavenly beautiful and pristine northern areas of Pakistan.

Respect, dignity and fairness is never offered to nations so easily, one has to raise self esteem and awareness of citizens so that they become aware of their true worth and they protect themselves and their precious priceless natural, cultural and architectural heritage from selfish, greedy looters and mafias.

Remember that thieves have no true foundations and bullies and mafias evaporate and disappear the moment public get united and recognise true enemies of their culture, harmony and peace.

Thanks for the comments.A peaceful movement always requires the moral support of other communities.More voices(sincere voices for our cause,not Pakistan bashing or the usual blame- game) will give strength to our people.
Lets hope that the South Asian people become more aware about the constitutional crisis in NA`s.
Syed Ali

Syed Ali,

This is what happens when you are more loyal than the king.

Your fathers decided to revolt against the Maharaja of Kashmir and join Pakistan. This is your reward.

I suggest you do what is necessary when rape is inevitable: lie back and enjoy it!

Re: # 10
harimau,
Our forefathers revolted against the maharaja because he was a foreign ruler.He imposed harsh taxes and made lives impossible for the poor farmers.Getting independence and joining a state with founders like Jinnah (who wanted a secular state where all the citizens could enjoy equal rights) seemed the best option.
Your comment as to rape is a source of disgust not only for us but also for the poor rape victims.
Syed Ali

keep busting ur butt balti-dude ! ur bound to get into the thick heads of our beloved rulers sumday...till then keep up the gud work and hey...where did the the white puma jacket go? :P...

Dear Syed Ali Sahab
AOA

I read your article. Many thanks for informing about human rights violations in Gilgit. In the end, you seemed to insist and declare that Pakistan is the only destination of Gilgit.

I think Pakistan is a house on fire. It is like a cancerous body and slowly rotting. I was wondering why are you so anxious to become part of Pakistan and jump in the fire of hopelessness and orderlessness. Will you ever allow your own child or brother to enter or live in a burning house? I do not think so. Then why you want the same for million or so people of Gilgit? I think it leads to two answers: Either you are not sincere to people and land of Gilgit and want them to be part of a country which never grants any rights to its minorities (please study the case of Balochis, Sindhis, Qadianis and Shias of Pakistan). After all, you do not live in GilgitBaltistan. Most intellectuals talk about gilgit while enjoying life somewhere in pindi or karaachi in thier comfortable rooms.

Or that you assume that Pakistan is on its way of becoming the paradise and heaven for its people and hence people of Gilgit will eventually benefit from future """successess""" of the regimes. Look at the case of NWFP. 60 years passed, the people of that province has not been able to get even a name of their choice for thier province. Such are the insecurities and inferiority complexes in Pakistan that Islamabad grants nothing to provinces. You should be thankful to God that at least Gilgit is a disputed region and in case Pakistan becomes a menace and cancerous to third stage, people of Gilgit will have some other choices to opt from.

But there are people who love to stay with the mess and not only love to stay but make all possible efforts to be part of a mess and then be proud of it.

I guess Gilgit and Baltistan is no exception and the more Pakistan becomes a mess, some Baltis and Gilgitis become happier as their dream of living in a mess comes true and their efforts of integration into Pakistan and ""becoming the 5th province"" becomes intensified.

Kashmir and its people wanted to be part of Pakistan in 1947. But as time passed and we saw what Pakistani establishment, army and ISI does to Bangladeshis, Sindhis, Balochis, Shias, Parachinar, Qadianis, 1988 Gilgit massacre, mess in Afghanistan due to Paki intervention and so forth, our intelligent people changed their mind. Reason is that we love Kashmir. We know after becoming part of Pakistan, Islamabad will suck revenues from all of our resources and in return give what balochis are getting right now: bullets and jail. For us, Kashmir is always first and then comes Pakistan or India. For you people, I guess it is ""sacrifice Gilgit for Pakistan"". Shah se barh kar Shah ka Ghulam. Pakistan which is qatalgah for shias is more important for you than your own land and people.

Intellectuals from Gilgit may hate us Kashmiris but at least we love our land and do not throw it to the wolves. We do not look for shortcuts and cutting the corner so our future generations may not suffer as we sacrifice our present. But you seem so desparate to gift your land to wolves in ISI.

As an educated gilgiti, you should try to look for best suitable country for your people. Tell me, when you buy cloths for your child, dont you look for the best quality?? When you choose a school for your sister, dont you go for the best in town that money can provide?? I guess you do it out of ultimate love and sincerity for your loved ones. But when it comes to choosing future country for gilgit, you go for the worst choice?? I wonder if you really care for poor of gilgit?? Look at Pakistan;s economy: no atta, gas, patrol, electricity....long list. Then look at human rights records. ISI reminds me of Yazid's army. 80 thousand alone kidnapped from sindh by ISI for demanding rights. no democracy, no constitution, no institutions, industry closed down, and your president wants to smack jounalists as he gets chance.

It seems you really want shias of gilgit to experience some wahhabi suicide bombers after becoming permanent part of Pakistan. Tell me one good thing Pakistan can offer to gilgit. once you become permannt part of Pakistan, gilgit will be taken over by wahhabi pathans and that will be end of you local people. But why would you care. you live in karachi. gilgit will become parachinar where shias were once 64% but now hardly 30% and remaining getting massacred daily.

Do you think gilgit will become province?? you are daydreamer. If Seraikis with 16 million population have not been able to get a province and karachi with 18 million still dreaming about it, then why gilgit with 9,64,000 only people (1988 census) will become a province?? especially when it is shia majority?? bohot sadah loh ho mere pyarey. 60 years passed and still, pakistan ke hukmaranon ko nahin pehchaan sakay??

yes you will become a province only after shia are systematically turned into minority, like what they are doing with balochis in gawadar. but then what is the use of that province where you become slave of the settlers?? where revenues from tourism will go to pathans and a pathan will represent your people in national assembly and senate

but then why would you care?? you even donot live in gilgit. you were even not borned there

enjoy intellectual debate from you cozy room in karachi

sincerely

Mohammad Ali Dhar
Kashmir Valley (Zadhibal)