NAs to be renamed as Gilgit-Baltistan, NALA
By: Zulfiqar Ali Khan
Gilgit, Nov 24: The Northern Areas Legislative Assembly has passed a resolution to rename the Northern Areas of Pakistan as “Gilgit-Baltistan”. According to sources, about 18 members of NALA supported the resolution however, the members from Ghizer and Diamer walked- out from the session.
Malik Maskeen, Speaker NALA after the approval, forwarded the resolution to Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas for further approval.
Public circles have regarded this as a historical and bold step however expressed hopelessness regarding its approval from the KANA division. People have also shown their concerns on lack of consensus on the name and demanded to debate such issues among all districts of Northern Areas before taking any step. Details also available at Dawn
Dear Zulfiqar
Based on above presented geographical sketch / map, where is Hunza? You have shown Gojal, Nager-01 & 02, but where is Hunza,, So, this map rather its presentation is absolutely wrong. Such acts should never be practiced that develops rather lead to ethnic divisions. It’s a time for unification, bring the people on as single agenda platform.
I would like to request that please rectify it, to avoid devloping the ambiguities.
To me, passing a resolution by the NALC, means, the name has been changed now, Lets see the power of our great NALC, because this news has also been published in the daily Express, November 25, with another statement by the Minister KANA, Mr. Kaira, who says, “Passing a resolution by NALC is not enough to change the name of Northern Areas”. in other words he says, it is he or the KANA division to decide, not the representatives of Northern areas.
Junaid
Dear Engineer Sahab
It is not necessary to always drag the question of ethnicities into such petty matters.
The fact is that this map shows divisions of the region on the basis of “Tehsils” and not sub-divisions or districts. So, Tehsil Gojal and Tehsil Aliabad have been mentioned while sub-division Hunza, has not been mentioned. And I am sure Aliabad and Gojal do represent Hunza.
regards
Chief Editor
Let’s revert back to the topic of discussion instead of hissing around like serpents 😛
I, personally, would not call it a ‘historic’ step for two reasons;
1. Gilgit – Baltistan is not a consensus name. This, surely, is depicted by the token protest (walkout) of the elected representatives of Ghizar and other districts.
2. The resolution of NALA has no legal value. It has to be approved by the Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas (KANA) division.
I remember the fate of an earlier resolution by the NALA – not NALC, which demanded renaming of K2 as “Choghori”. The KANA division, deaf as it is, trashed the resolution and told the rest of us about the ‘legislative powers’ of NALA.
I completely agree with MNALA Hafiz Hafeez Ur Rehman that the people currently in the NALA are not capable of motivating, pressurizing or resisting the actions of KANA.
It is for this reason that people have used different names for the Northern Areas Legislative Assembly, like:
a – Qarardad saz Assembly
b. Theekadar saz Assembly
If miraculously this name is accepted by the KANA division, it will mean more discord, more regionalism, more divisions on the basis of districts and nothing more. Such a division would serve a big blow for the nationalist circles.
Noor
Now as the NALC (or NALA, I really wonder if changing it from NALC to NALA made any difference??) has passed a resolution, to rename the Northern Areas as Gilgit Baltistan, I think we should back this resolution, as it is a good opportunity to rename, Northern Areas, and distinguish it form the other northern parts of Pakistan.
The name Gilgit Baltistan is known everywhere, nationally and internationally, rather it is a secondry name of the area.
As far as opposing this name, by some members of the NALA is concerned, I do not think there can be a 100% consensus. Proposing a new name and making all the sigments agreed, may take years, and it will remain the same NAs.
Junaid
ha, lets see what good it is going to do. is it all about changing the name or are we going to get our rights? i think more then changing names we need leader who are bold.
We should appreciate this step despite the fact that the assembly not took any bold step when also had Governemnt-with-all -power s in Islamabad also.
Our Chief Executive was happy only for getting a seat in the event during the opening of Basha Dam construction. Alas! he had the same bold stance so to influnce President Musharaf.
Ignoring all these, we need to develop consensus regarding the regional issues. I fear we start to fight on naming and NWFP take the advantages…..royalties of dams constructed on our land, KKH compensation and many more.
I also sense conspiracies ………….we need to care
Zulfiqar Ali Khan
In this way we ll not reach to any conclusions. For God sake just try to be a uninimous openion on Gilgit-Baltistan, in my understanding the most suitable Name finalised is the one.
I congrats to speaker of NALA comittee and his team specially Chief Exactive if He owns the Name for future crosspoundance with in the country and internationally.
My special, congrats to Hon. Team Members of PAMIR TIME for their efforts and updates.
Some of very good steps and bold statements hearing from Chief Exactive which is really praise worthy.
Dear Junaid
Gilgit is the name of a single district. Baltistan, the collective name for Skardu and Ghangche. What will happen to Ghizar, Hunza – Nagar (if ever it becomes a district), Astore and Diamir.
No one is talking about Hundred percent participation. In this case only 20 % of the districts are in favor, eighty percent opposed!! Isn’t it like that??
Having said that let me also appreciate activism of the NALA. I pray that their suggested name is accepted by the KANA. And, above that, it is only only about a change in the name of the region. The question relates to broader political rights of the region as well.
I agree with Junaid, if the change from NALA – NALC couldn’t make a difference, how can the renaming from NA to GB make a difference?
We shall not look at the renaming of the region in exclusion. It is very much a part of the broader struggle for political rights.
Noor
Concerning a possible name for the northern areas of Pakistan (Gilgit-Baltistan-Diamer-Ghizer), let us be open and try to adopt a name with some ancient refrences or a possible new name based on some modern facts:
I would say, “Gilgit – Baltistan simply indicates two districts, which was used during the British colonial period (1841 to Nov1st 1947). In this regard, we can find a name Daresa (persianized as Dardistan later), meaning land of valleys (Dar-Des in Sanskrit), mentioned in Rigweda and by Herododtus, followed by Dr.A.H.Dani in The History of Northern Areas Pakistan. What I am saying is the Dardesa / Dardestan is older than Baloristan / Balor, mainly discussed in later Mogul rerences for Baltistan (Tibet Khurd).
Or, we all must suggest to our government to give a name as Karakorum province, as we have already the well known Karakorum High Way (KKH), Karakorum International University (Gilgit) etc. Thus it becomes easier for every body to easily grasp an idea of this part of wolrd. Thanks
Ejazullah Baig
Curator
Hunza-Baltit Fort
I think it is still better to go back to have an identity. Those who have passed the resolution as well as other people through out the region are aware of the faulty nature of the proposed name and I think such things can be rectified in the future as well. At present it appear a bit hast, however, getting rid of this absured name “The Northern Areas” which is also frequently refered to other areas as well, is very significant step at the moment.
The most important thing today is to get rid of “Northern Areas” as the name our region. There is never going to a consensus among the people of the area on any particular name, be it , Boloristan, Balawarsitan, Karakoram, Dardistan, Zemistan, Kohimir and a lot others. For the time being lets stick with this Gilgit-Baltistan and then in future when we are able to create consensus on one particular name then we can change to that.
Dear PT readers,
I would like to congratulate the NALA team for passing a resolution and 100% agreed with the comments of Toojik. I would like to add t which suits “something is better than nothing”
Sharif Khan
We all need to play a positive role here in making the renaming of the region possible, obviously if we start counting the issues/problems with the name Gilgit Baltistan, there will be lot more other then what Noor has mentioned. and the issue will remain as it is.
How are we going to struggle for the political rights, if we are unable to agree on the renaiming? May be this is our weekeness, and others are taking advantage of it.
If there is a 20 to 8 percent ratio at the NALA, I think it is the best ratio we can get,
Renaiming of NAs would make a difference, as atleast people would know the fact that Gilgit Baltistan is not part of the conflict hit areas in Pakistan.
Be positive and think positively.
Cheers
Junaid
Karakoram is the best name for NAs if we get consenus on this name, as geographicaly and physicaly unique location in the globe.
Dear editor,
I appriciate for drawing a map of Hunza, but it will be better if you will locate the name of major areas of entire Hunza positivelly. Because we can use it for multipurposes.
as for as NALA’s step is concern, it is a bold and good step but they should think for long-term, beacaus it will create discrimination regarding all other disticts including Hunza-Nager (up-comming). it will also cause the creation of boundries among all people of NA’s.
if we are saying NA is not a name, it is a direction then how people of other districts will inspire from newer name.
My message to NALA’s members is that, they should create 100% governance in assembly and then they rsolve tangible things like shortages of power, infrastructure, education, irrigation, transportation etc. which will develop us. Steps like changing the name of area is not a creative step, just they are wasting our time.
Sarfaraz Amin
Ripha International University
Well! its a good move, but should represent entire northern areas – Astore, Diamer,Ghanche,Gilgit, Ghizer and Skardu, as Giilgit-Baltistan is not the complete identification of Northern Areas.
Thank you.
Khurasan Ali Shah – Dubai
Dear Zulfiqar Sahib
Then NALA must not think about these little things to change name of northern areas.Uts almost ten years they are saying that it will be changed….I think the NALA should left this problemmm…there are other problems of northern areas which needs immediate concentration.So for god sake ….i request NALA member to be a part of development of Northern Areas inspite of changing the name .NAME is not nedded its the path of development which is necessary for the aread ….A Name not matter what it is…
Afzal Hunzai
HT
This step taken by the NALA is indeed commendable. But reading through these comments I was surprised to see we still could not agree. I would agree with Sir Aafiyat that first let’s get rid of this Northern Areas and then probably we can go back to the ethnic issues when we can. Gilgit Baltistan I think is appropriate because it is our identity. I mean whatever we may about one being hunzakut or gojali or ghiziri but when time comes for us to identify ourselves in front of some one we call ourselves Gilgiti not gojali and ghizir. We should appreciate and let’s be together while for once our representatives have taken a bold step!!!!!
Dear Afzal Hunzai (Hunzatimes)
We all believe that changing the name is a minor issue, and our representatives should think beyond that, but just imagine even this changing of name is not in the hand of NALA, as it has to go to the KANA division, and they will decide according to their own will.
Constitutional rights,,, that is what we all want NALA to demand from the government, but will it happen at once,? never, let them start this way with much smaller issue.
why Gilgit Baltistan? This is only to change the mind of public from there fundamental rights of Political awareness, i would say that it is also a plot of breaucracy to divert the mind towards this issue and it will take decades to get approve from KANA division.
Our political leaders and cabinet of NALC will call meetings and forget the developments activities and consume the whole budget for these such types of agenda.
if we accept the name of Gilgit Baltistan then with whom we count the public of Diamer and Ghizar?are those two districts are not the part of Northern areas? we do need to reslove the issue by collectively and find the right name which will accept for all 6 districts.only the right name is Karakurum.
agree with joooooooooooooooooooooooooojiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiik
Dear readers of PT,
The resolution passed to rename the Northern Areas as Gilgit-Baltistan is a very good step but is not the ultimate.
The most important thing that is still in need of earnest consideration is the essence of the area.Forms change but if are subject to the changes in the actual scenario is indeed a good symbol but if forms change for no solid reasons are merely insignificant.
We the young blood of Gilgit-Baltistan need to struggle hard to call a spade a spade. There are always external interventions to divert the minds but we need to be more concious about the surroundings.
I hope that every single step we take ahead and every single moment we look forward should mean us something.
Regards
Aslam Khan Ghalib
Islamabad
The rename”Gilgit Baltistan”passed uninanmiously by our respected assembly badly fails to creat unity among different districts of our region.Name plays a vital role to integrate a nation but this name sloly represents gilgit and baltistan and ignores the three districts i -e Astore,Diamer and gizer.There is no link b/w new name and ignored distrct.the new name does not favours our whole interst,therefore i requsted to intellectals to suggested such a name which is based on logic,ration and acceptable to all .
The rename”Gilgit Baltistan”passed uninanmiously by our respected assembly badly fails to creat unity among different districts of our region.Name plays a vital role to integrate a nation but this name sloly represents gilgit and baltistan and ignores the three districts i -e Astore,Diamer and gizer.There is no link b/w new name and ignored distrct.the new name does not favours our whole interst,therefore i requsted to intellectals to suggested such a name which is based on logic,ration and acceptable to all .
at last i again requsted to take this issue seriouslydue to its delicacy./////////////////
The rename”Gilgit Baltistan”passed uninanmiously by our respected assembly badly fails to creat unity among different districts of our region.Name plays a vital role to integrate a nation but this name sloly represents gilgit and baltistan and ignores the three districts i -e Astore,Diamer and gizer.There is no link b/w new name and ignored distrct.the new name does not favours our whole interst,therefore i requsted to intellectals to suggested such a name which is based on logic,ration and acceptable to all .
at last i again requsted to take this issue seriouslydue to its delicacy.i put forth my opinion that Dardistan is compatable on the basis of history while Razistan is bettet on the basis of alphabatica and on the basis of l;anguage the Shenabisatan is suitable./////////////////
with best regards
ibrar hussain islamabad
Renaming the Northern Areas is wellcomed by the majority of people of Northern Areas. There was misconception in the name of northern Areas(Gilgit Baltistan) and the other Northern Areas as pakistani citizens considered it the area of (Swat, Mansirah and adjacent area, kohistan the place is now famous being a center of Taliban militants and their suicide attacks) Therefor it was extremly necessary to draw the line between the our area and that area who are famous for sucide attacks. We want to tell the people and want to remove the misperception that we are not part of Talibanization zone. We very simple and peaceful people and love pakistan. We don’t love Talibanization.
Therefore it is an encourageful and good initiative to distingusih us from them.
Regards,
zahid
I am waiting to implement the resolution passed by the Assembly. Even we are using in our correspondence, due to its importance for the development of tourism in that area.
New name will provide Northern Areas an identity and approach as a peaceful area of Pakistan. Tourism suffered a lot for the last couple of years. Please take immediate steps otherwise time is running out.