[Opinion] Vultures of Kashmir
by Noor
The organized reaction of Kashmiri nationalist and other leadership towards the delusional autonomy package for Gilgit – Baltistan shall be taken as an eye – opener by people of the region. Those who don’t tire telling us about our so – called historical links with Kashmir, and our “cultural ties”, shall be asked to either get out of the region’s political arena, or to update their knowledge of the Kashmiris’ aspirations towards our region.
For the Kashmiris our region, and we, people of the region, are nothing but a tool that they want to use when the time is ripe for their “independence”.
It was interesting to watch Sardar Attique tell an anchorperson on a popular TV channel that the people of Gilgit – Baltistan are die – hard fans of Kashmiri nationalist parties. When the anchorperson asked him the reasons why Kashmir’s many parties didn’t contest in the region’s recently held elections, he said that the government of Pakistan doesn’t allow the Kashmiri parties to operate in the region.
We all know that it is a white lie. The JKLF has a secretariat in Gilgit city, but despite of operating in the region for many years, the party has not been able to even inspire a handful of people.
Aman Ullah Khan, born in the Astore district of Gilgit – Baltistan, is a non – entity in the political arena of Gilgit – Baltistan, despite of being among the founders of JKLF. Recently while talking to a news blog, Nazir Sabir said that Aman Ullah Khan is a traitor of Gilgit – Baltistan and he would even not find burial place in the region.
The reasons of disinterest in Kashmiri politics are many, including the fact that people of Gilgit – Baltistan are not Kashmiris. Their culture, their land, their history and their aspirations are completely different. The only “historical” connection between GB and Kashmir is the illegal occupation of some parts of GB by the Britishers and the Maharaja of Kashmir, for a short while.
Moreover, our ancestors would never have fought against the Maharaja of Kashmir, had there been any historical affinity between the two regions. Our region had been independent and the Kashmiris were able to rule it after the British forces occupied the region’s many states, in fiercely fought wars.
Keeping the people of Gilgit – Baltistan in eternal uncertainty, or declaring GB as part of Kashmir, as the prime minister did recently, is an outright negation of historical realities, as well as complete violation of basic human right of self determination. The state of Pakistan is guilty of conspiring against our identity and the vultures of Kashmir, the colonized dreamers, are guilty of conspiring against our existence and history.
It is for the people of Gilgit – Baltistan, especially the youth, to raise voice against the forces that find it befitting to keep our fate in a state of limbo. The vultures of Kashmir have exposed their evil designs, not once or twice, but many times. We need to look out for the vultures and let them know that people of Gilgit – Baltistan are not dead, or ready to be savored.
The mistake is from our side. We should be as vocal as possible so that everyone in Pakistan including the Kashmiris would hear that we are not hose people among whom traitors like Sheikh Abdullah are born. Instead we are the people who won their freedom with shepherd axes.
Kashmiris prove yet again that
Yeke Afghan, doyam Kamboh, sium badzat Kashmiri….
The mistake is from our side. We should be as vocal as possible so that every citizen of Pakistan including the Kashmiris would hear loud and clear that we are not those people among whom traitors like Sheikh Abdullah are born. Instead we are the people who won their freedom with shepherd axes.
Kashmiris prove yet again that:
Yeke Afghan, doyam Kamboh, sium badzat Kashmiri….
Just completing this stanza… Said by Mogol King Akbar
اگر تو ہوش می داری تو این را دوست کم کم دار
اول ازبک دوم افغان سوم بدذات کشمیری
Thank You Noor
It is unfortunate that the Kashmiri leadership has been conspiring against the aspirations of the people of Gilgit – Baltistan right from the day of independence of region i.e 1st November 1947.
Everybody in G-B know that a very thin minority of people who had migrated from Kashmir into the region are supporting and propagating that G-B is part of Kashmir. Later Zia ul Haq’s policies towards sectarianism in the area had succeeded in creating doubts in peoples minds that one particular sect will be in minority if this area ceases to be part of Kashmir or its status is determined in the federation of Pakistan with the current geographical boundaries.
The people of GB have lived in peace and harmony for centuries and the doubts created in the minds of people, I think, was part of a conspiracy which is constantly fueled by the successive political governments in Islamabad.
Let the new Constitutional Assembly of Gilgit Baltistan take this issue boldly by passing a unanimous resolution in the coming inaugural session of for declaring Gilgit Baltistan not part of Kashmir and also resolve to be part of Pakistan. It will be a test case to check how much serious is the state of Pakistan to accept the aspirations of the people of this region.
I personally think that there will hardly be 2000 people in total from Gilgit who think we are part of a disputed territory. It is gross violation of basic rights of the people of GB on the part of Government of Pakistan to deny the people of their right of representation for such a long time.
The longer the federal government continues to deny this fundamental basic right, the sooner it can loose the support of the people of this region as the youth of this region who is well educated may not wish to live longer with their future in limbo.
Sher
Noor Bahi,
Your absolutely right the Kashmiries don’t wants the GB become a 5th Provence of Pakistan but we will make it a 5th Provence of Pakistan which is our fundamental rights from last 62 years.
Ali Aman Gojali
Tajikistan
We are not Kashmiris in any sense of the word.
If Pakistan remains of only one province and even if that is on fire there will be still some ‘idiot Gilgitis’ who will say we want to be part of this land which is on fire.
We should ignore these ‘idiots’ who do not care for welfare of their own people and unity of their country; and are more concerned about welfare and future of Pakistan. This policy is illogical and illustrates flattering nature of the people concerned. Who would in his right mind appreciate actions of this man who ignores responsibilities to his own parents, and expresses love and care for his neighbour?
Mr Ali,
What makes you feel that the welfare of people of Gilgit – Baltistan lies in being with Kashmir?
Noor
I m not advocating Kashmiris but Why Pakistan?Our people are proud of being Called as Pakistanis but in turn Pakistanis considrerd as part of Kashmir Than who is responsible for this mistrust?Who had devoid us of Chitral,Kohistan etc and part of Gilgit Baltistan gifted to China?
Mr. M.Ali
Who gifted parts of G-B to China, Can you please explain this for benefit of the readers of PT.
Please elaborate your views in detail to enlighten us what ideas you have the future of the people of G-B for their future.
Sher
The Trans-Karakoram Tract is an area of nearly 5,800 km² that was transferred by a border agreement from the Pakistani-administered Northern Areas to China in 1963 with the proviso that the settlement was subject to the final solution of the Kashmir dispute. Pakistan says that it was a no-man’s undemarcated border land, hence no question arises of its being transferred. The transfer is disputed by India which claims the Tract as part of Indian Jammu and Kashmir state.
The tract, called Shaksgam, is technically part of Shigar, a valley of Baltistan region of Ladakh Province. The Raja of Shigar controlled this land until 1971, when Pakistan abolished the Raja government system. A polo ground in Shaksgam was built by the Amacha Royal family of Shigar, and the Rajas of Shigar used to invite the Amirs of Yarkand to play polo there. All the names of the mountains, lakes, rivers and passes are in Balti/Ladakhi, suggesting that this land has been part of Baltistan/Ladakh province for a long time.
The Tract is one of the most inhospitable areas of the world, with some of the highest mountains including Broad Peak, Gasherbrum and Masherbrum, and is adjacent to the highest battlefield in the world at Siachen Glacier.
In my Opinion..Pakistan must have to accept us as its integral part with all the rights like other provinces of Pakistan.Otherwise our land must be evcuated according to UNCIP resolutions and a local authority under UN forces must be established
Dear All,
I am very much surprised of the views of everyone of you.
No opinion is in the right direction. Since I don’t believe in history (because it’s manipulated according to the historian’s own point of view and interest), I only believe in people’s power be it based on ideology, political manoevering, or vice versa.
We only need to make people aware of their identity regardless of the surrounding powers’ manifesto because every power would like to drag us according to their interest.
The current global stance on the Kashmir issue is much tiring
but I look at it as a decisive tool for the determination of our people as a nation of its own. The longer the issue remains,
the better for us to come to a conclusion. Because the end of the day, we’ll be denouncing the claims made by the powers around us to secure our core interest of a “nation” without any bloodshed. This should be our ultimate goal for the generations to come.
The real challenge is, how long will it take for us to come to this very mutual understanding ???
Today, we are devided and ruled by the outsiders but yet I am optimistic of this situation because it does allow us to harness ourselves with education (since 70% of the population in the area is not literate) and understanding of the global politics.
Please, just imagine that an area with 90% literacy hasn’t a precise direction to their future?, what can we expect from the rest???????
Thanks for the detail you gave, I hope more valueable contributions will come in response to this and the things will get cleared in the minds of people.
The reason for lack of information on this subject is really the lack of good quality history material. PT has been instrumental for compiling the historical events such as this one. I hope our future historians and social scientists will research on these information.
I would rather like to request Mr. M. Ali to quote the book or written record as source of this information for the benefit of our readers.
Sher
Interesting article by Noor and contributions by other.
M.Ali has raised interesting new dimension of this discussion.
To read the script of the Sino-Pak agreement 1963 visit:
http://www.kashmir-information.com/LegalDocs/SinoPak.html (this is Indian source, i hope it is not fudged?)
Read article 2 which refers to relinquishing territory of Khunjerab-Shimshal in Hunza and .Shaksgam, Baltistan to China
and article 6 that refers to the Kashmir dispute.
The fate of Gilgit-Baltistan is linked to the resolution of Kashmir dispute, Pakistan accepts this, India and China accept this part of the disputed territory.
Right or wrong, this is the ground reality and requires a political response and strategy to deal with. Remaining in a denial mode and writing and invoking history and historical facts and justifying it otherwise is another.
As Pakistan is not accepting GB as part of Pakistan (though we all religiously want to be part of it for the last 6 decades), what are the viable options? Independent GB?, Part of independent Kashmir?, or continue our struggle to be part of Pakistan as full-fledged province?? or keep the status quo??
The merits and demerits should be discussed to promote a constructive dialogue and general understanding of the youth and the literati.
It was Farooq Tariq,Who once told me that It was unfortunate that Gilgit Baltistan was again linked to Kashmir inspite of their historic victory over Dogra Kashmiris but as for as the Current Political or International Scenerio is concerned,for the larger intrest of the People of Gilgit Baltistan,the people of this region must have to get benifits of Kashmir dispute.We can’nt seperate ourselves of this issue and the situation is more like” mai Kambal ko chorna chahta magar Kambal mujhe nahi chorh raha”.We can also make this status qou as beneficial for us as Kashmiris.Today they (Govt.of Pak)are opologizing Balochis and are ready to accept all their demands and in the recent “Aghaz Hukook Balochistan”.They have accomodated atleast 5,OOO youths in various posts but in case of Our so Called Autonomy Package..only Change the name of dummy Chief executive?
slms from indian adminstered kashmir: i am shocked guys, we in kashmir thought GB wants as much ofa freedom to join kashmir and form an independent nation as we in kashmir want(by kashmir i mean indian kashmir) and for the links we are all dards our language is similar in many ways to yours…. azad kashmiris are punjabi butcan i get to discuss it with some of you? saqibsafvi@gmail.com
i think that we people of gilgit baltistan should try to get a status like azad kashmir but it should not exctly like azad kashmir because in azad kashmir everything is controlled by a chief secretary. and if kashmir is freed from indian occupaton we people of gb should annex GB with kashmir but with our seprate identity it is in the best interest of our people