Kashif Zaheer Kamboh (writer is currently working as research analyst and can be reached at kashif.zaheer@rocketmail.com)
As a crossroad of various civilizations Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) again emerged as a connector of half world population. The territory of GB consists of seven districts, embracing natural and adventurous hills. 6 out of 10 highest peaks of the world are erected in this areas. Potential of Hydroelectric generations is approximately 40 K MW in this area. Three mountainous towers Himalaya, Karakoram and HiduKush are meeting by producing stunning complexion. GB a homeland of 1.5 million people, geo-strategically vibrant and embraced with natural resources is grabbing world attention day by day.
People are striving in a state of political isolation just due to the resolution of Security Council combined with a non-serious attitude of India. Students of history ought to remember that, Army General Gracey refused to obey orders of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and didn’t intervene in Northern Areas and Kashmir. Col. Wazir Ehsan Ali khan, Col Mirza Hassan Khan, and Captain Raja Babar Khan triumphed Dogra forces (Gunsara Singh Governor was arrested) and moved as pride successor till Ladakh. Locals formulated their own government which was later on annexed with Pakistan as a symbol of good will gesture on November 1947. The case of Gilgit and Kashmir are taken together because it’s said that they were ruled by Dogra Raja of Kashmir. GB’s accession with Kashmir was a forceful subjugation and nothing else. For a moment if we consider that, GB was ruled by Gunsara Singh (representative of Dogra of Kashmir) due to which this land is part and parcel of Kashmir. Then Pakistan ought to claim Kabul, Qandahar and half of Afghanistan because these areas were ruled by Singh forces once part of Punjab along with an area of KPK. Secondly, Sub-continent was ruled by British and Central Asian Republics were ruled by USSR so what about them??
GB enjoyed a status of independent state till 1842 under the rule of locals. In 1847 Sikh Army over threw the local rulers and captured GB which was later retook by British. They hand over this area to Maharaja of Kashmir and eventually liberated by sons of soil on May 1947 by putting Shah Raes Khan as president. Our rulers and bureaucracy ought to understand history is always written by victorious, not by the losers. According to Ex-Chief Engineer and prestigious personality of GB Mr. Muzaffar Abbas, this is the only movement in the world that is the movement of affiliation, not separation. People are proud Pakistani’s but unfortunately with the passage of time this patriotic feeling is eroding due to certain reasons. Prevailing confusion of integration, the vulnerability of future and sense of marginalization can only be tackled by giving a status, equal to other provinces as the fifth province of Pakistan. Lessons from the history of Baluchistan needed to be considered with a close observation. This is universally proved that political movements turn into weaponry and liberation movements due to the sense of marginalization and lack of power devolution. Pakistan doesn't have time to go for more and more experiments. Generally, all the violent movements are initiated by the native people finance by enemies and later on results are enjoyed by some interest groups. Indian intervention in lieu of Baluchistan and their intentions in GB must be encountered by ceasing growing sense of deprivation.
China wants to play a vibrant role by the economic and political uplifting of the region via China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The Pakistan is a neighbour of China and Central Asian Republics because GB shares its border with China and Wakhan. CPEC gets its entry and exit gates from this very pure land. This time eastern neighbor unleashed a comprehensive campaign by taking the status of GB. Here Pakistan should opt proactive approach rather than responsive. Here is need to build new diplomatic narratives with a powerful propagation on diplomatic corridors. Time gone when Pakistan’s diplomatic gestures were ineffective, weak, enforced, and foreign spooned. If we want to stay as a proud nation then diplomatic bosses need to reconsider their cognitive extensions. Recently we have seen our youth provided a strong rebuttal to any Indian propagation. Anti-CPEC campaign, Anti-Pakistan narratives are combated by Pakistani youth on social media and Kashmir cause is rightly up hold by unpaid soldiers in the cyber world. The strategic, Political and economic significance of this area can’t be ignored due to certain reasons. A nation already well empowered with patriotism can clear all fault lines of ethnicity, sect, and grievances with strong diplomatic gestures at the governmental end.
It’s overwhelming narrative that, Pakistan is reluctant towards the annexure of GB due to Karachi agreement of 1949 and resolutions of plebiscite at UN Security Council. Recognizing GB as a constitutional province doesn’t mean that they have nothing to do with Kashmir. All the game falls on the diplomatic side if they went able to handle diplomatic front then condition of locals will be better than ever. As mentioned earlier dwellers of GB are as loyal as another part of Pakistan. When the times come they fought for Kashmir, for Pakistan and carved brave example for their decedents. Devolution of power from the centre to province can nip a number of grievances. They always favored and voted for federalist parties. In the previous election, one can see any political party who called upon ethnic nationalist got collapsed. Persistence ignorance can divert their affiliation towards ethnic nationalists inevitably means unfavoured and intensified situation. GB is a land of victorious so don't let the patriotic people be a rebel by unrecognizing their demand from being equally Pakistani. With reference to writer’s discussion with Amjad Nazir (a politician and activist from GB) adding the fifth province to the federal administrative units will strengthen the federation by resolving the crisis of governance, disarray, and confusion. Loyal people deserve equal representation in National Assembly, Senate, and Council of common affairs, NFC Award, and Government Sector departments. Pakistan’s political and bureaucratic bosses ought to sharp their eyes by reconsidering the statement that, National interest falls above all interests beyond ethical bindings and personal relations.
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