Conferenece resolution at UK’s house of Lords seeks self –determination rights for Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir
London – A meeting was held at the House of Lords, Uk, chaired by Lord Nazir Ahmed and Lord Eric Avebury and attended by Lord Bill Mckenzie, Kelvin Hopkins MP, Marsha Sing MP, in order to impress upon the political establishment of India and Pakistan the right of self-determination for people of the disputed regions of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. The meeting was attended by prominent political scholars and politicians from South-Asian Diasporas in Britain. In the light of a major shift in the US foreign policy under the Obama presidency, particularly towards the issue of Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, it is emphasized upon the US and European political community to leverage their influence on both India and Pakistan to involve people of Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir in any kind of political process that is affecting the people of these areas.
Mr. Abbas Ali, from Gilgit-Baltistan, participated in the meeting and highlighted importance of self-determination for the people of the Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir according to the will of the people of the area. He said that the disputed regions of South Asia are under post-colonial colonization. He emphasized that under the UN resolutions and Geneva convention rights of self determination should be granted to the people of this region. He asked UN member states to compels both India and Pakistan to provide a genuine choice of self-determination, not a plebiscite or forced control on the people of the area.
It was suggested that Lord Nazir Ahmed, Lord Eric Avebury , other Members of Parliaments of Great Britain and participants of the meeting will write to president Obama a letter to appoint a special representative for the resolution of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan dispute. Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan is the only dangerously flashing point between nuclear armed countries of India and Pakistan that caused three wars and the most recent one is Kargil war. The meeting concluded with passing of a resolutions focusing on an immediate peaceful settlement of the Kahsmir and Gilgit-Baltistan stressing on self-determination.”
We appreciate the Lords to present the case of Gilgit-Baltistan and abbas shahib for his efforts.
Karim
Personally I feel pleased for raising the issue of our region at international level by Mr. Abbas Ali. I want to understand why internationally Gilgit-Baltistan is considered to be part of Kashmir, as I know we have achieved independence from Dogra in November 1947 and I celebrate Yaum-e-Azadi Gilgit-Baltistan. It is also confusing to celebrate 14 august as well as Jashn-e-Azadi in Gilgit-Baltistan. Now to talk we are still under colonial rule, I know we don’t have representation in National Assembly of Pakistan and Pakistani Govt. does not consider us Pakistanis. So who we are???
We appreciate the interest and efforts of House of Lords of UK, this type of meeting is need to be held in Pakistani parliament instead of other countries, but it is shameful that MNA’s and Senate members of the Pakistan never seriously raised this Issue in the Parliament,
All Political parties are crying when there is army dictatorship in the country but never released that Gilgit Baltistan is under the political dictatorship of central government and political parties since 1947.
Dictatorship is dictatorship weather it is political or army, the Fedral government assigns a Minister for the Northern Areas, Gilgit and Baltistan along with the Kashmir, a person (Political Dictator) from Punjab, Sindh, NWFP or Balochistan who even never knows about the history, background, culture and geography of Gilgit Baltistan.
We strongly condemn the political dictatorship of democratic parties who are proud to be democratic parties of the country who are being elected by the majority of the population of the country, uneducated who even don’t know the meaning of democracy and who get impressed by the slogans of the political parties.
We want to make it clear that we, the people of Gilgit Baltistan are proud to be the educated and well civilized citizens of Pakistan whose literacy rate is above 90 percent as compare to the rest of the country, less then 30 percent. And the 70% illiterate population is holding the so called proud democratic parties of this country who are just fighting for their own befits and just to revenge the rival political parties.
It is clear that Gilgit Baltistan has no any Link with Occupied or Azad Jamu and Kashmir which needs to be resolved, the only issue is the right to vote and election of their own representative in the National Assembly and senate, which needs to be raised at international level as for last more then 60 years not a single democratic party can give the right to vote to the people of Gilgit and Baltistan.
Mahmood Ali
Hunza, Pakistan
It is against the reality and does not base on the facts of the day light to claim that we are proud Pakistanis. In many cases where people of Hunza claim that we are 90% literate but in fact as compare to rest of the Gilgit-Baltistan you are less politically educated. With due respect for all other good qualities of the people of Hunza, I am sorry to tell your blind faith on the state of Pakistan ignoring political oppression and lack of understanding which can be seen from Mahmood’s comment the nature of your political backwardness.
How do you claim that you are Pakistani? While Pakistan itself has destroyed the independence that was achieved by father of Gilgit-Baltistan and has made you part of disputed region of Kashmir. Pakistan has sacrificed your freedom for their own selfish interest to gain more vote in case of plebiscite in Kashmir. Everywhere in the world and including Pakistan you are considered part of the unresolved dispute of Kashmir and it is because of successive Pakistani Government, since 1947.
The most harsh cruelty is that although in main disputed area of Kahshmir, Pakistani Government has given an independent Assembly, Supreme Court, and an independent Administration, while you people in Gilgit-Baltistan are ruled by an Administrator called Chief Secretary along with a minister from Pakistan’s national Assembly. On countless times in Pakistan’s national assembly the region of Gilgit-Baltistan is declared to be part of disputed region of Kashmir. Some Pakistani Governments says you people of Gilgit-Baltistan does not have digestive capacity to have powers to rule and govern on yourself, while some sideline and through the case of Gilgit-Baltistan on the floor saying it is a sensitive and not important enough to discuss in the National Assembly of Pakistan.
Whatever it is the independence that has been achieved by the people of Gilgit-Baltistan has short lived for 14 days, the inspirations have not ripped to fruition; the State of Pakistan betrayed the loyalty of the People of Gilgit-Baltistan and in greed of Kashmir has sacrificed your freedom. Now you have to fight at two fronts first to gain the rights of self rule not by Pakistani dictators as Mahmood has mentioned and second to gain the distinctive status for Gilgit-Baltistan from Kashmir. Keep it always in mind currently everywhere in the world Gilgit-Baltistan is disputed part of Kashmir, if you want to hide your head from this fact such as an Ostrich it would not resolve your problem.
Himat Mir
Vancouver, Canada
Thanks Himat Mir for your comments, and I would like to clear some points here,
We appreciate the political awareness and education in the field of politics by the people of Gilgit but again it is again knowledge about the dirty politics of Pakistan not the real politics which is recognized at international level, and we have to be one not separate Hunza, Gilgit and Baltistan all are one. If Gilgit is more educated in politics and Hunza is Backward it should have kept peace and unity in the region. We don’t consider politics as a tool of fighting it is to achieve your goals through dialog, education, and awareness. The policy of divide and rule is being used in the region of Gilgit if you are politically well aware you should realize it.
Pakistan as a country itself is not bad, political parties who are elected by the illiterate people, administration and the rulers are creating bad image of Pakistan at national and International level.
We are not any part of disputed Kashmir or not it is realized at international level if you are attaching yourself with this issue no one can stop you, 1st you have to prove yourself as an independent part of impedance country.
The only way to get the right of expression and election of your own representative is unity; if you are united no one can divide you or can deprive you from your rights.
Therefore I request all the students, people and political leaders of Gilgit Baltistan, come together and unit to get the right of vote and your identity.
Mahmood Ali
Hunza Pakistan
I appreciate the words of Mahmood, for his call for unity and brotherhood in Gilgit-Baltisa, without going into fragmentations. I did not mean that if one region is better politically aware than the other, but people of Hunza are more educated than the rest of the region so we expect a better political awareness.
Please Mahmud, I will suggest you to read the constitution of Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan is not part of Pakistan, just look in the records of National Assembly of Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan is part of Kashmir. Look at UN commission for India and Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan is part of Kashmir, look at the records of European Union Parliament and US agenda for Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan is part of disputed Kashmir.
Yes I and you know that Gilgit-Baltistan has acquired independence after many precious sacrifices of the blood of our fathers. Unfortunately the Governments in Pakistan have traded our freedom and blood of our honorable martyred fathers with Kashmir and pushed us into slavish conditions. You are right the poor people of Pakistan have no part in it, they are our brothers and sisters, yes the governments of Pakistan is responsible of it.
So again our fight is against those governments and it is called state of Pakistan that includes all Pakistani based political parties, army, bureaucracy and houses of parliament.
It is meaningless to say that we are not disputed but you are considered so that is why government of Pakistan is suppressing us, snatched our right to rule on ourselves and being ruled by a minister called Federal Minister for Kashmir and Northern Areas affaires. State of Pakistan has snatched even our name and we are living in a nameless and constitution-less region that is called disputed region of Kashmir.
Lets struggle and fight for our freedom and our rights, and prove to those sitting in the chambers of power that we are more powerful than those and can govern our own destiny.
Himat Mir
Vancouver, Canada