No Rights, No Dams – Join the cause

AN ULTRAMODERN PROVINCE GILGIT BALTISTAN’S PROBLEMS
News about royalty of Diamer Dam has started to create grievance among the people of GB in past few days, while this would not be a new scenario as for as the history of GB concerned. The need for adopting a reconciliatory approach is now being felt more than before.
GB has its own value due to it’s’ location in Pakistan and is, by for, the richest one in terms of natural resources, such as; pure water, fresh air, minerals, tourism points, Karakorum high way, highest mountain, territory boundaries with China and India etc. but today unfortunately, GB is the most underdeveloped and poverty-stricken area in Pakistan on the basis of resources, where the most basic Infrastructure has not be built and people don’t have access to the basic amenities of life.
The native people of GB, numbered around ten million, have, for year, complaining against the behavior of government toward them. Law and order situation is worse and many high qualified youths are deprived of their basic facilities of life. The GB people are poorly integrated with the rest of county.
The GB problem is essentially a struggle for basic right: the people of GB revolts against so called package and demands for more autonomy. GB is characterized by economic backwardness, lack of development and non-availability of basic facilities of life.
GB has been a focus of troubles in past, but the recent episodes are the gravest of all. Case 1: GB has given so called autonomy and self governance package that has created many problems in policymaking due to limited autonomy in legislative counsel. Case 2: recent statement by Mr.Arbab Rahim (communication minister), about the royalty right in favored of KP in place of GB, buried the hopes and wishes of the people of GB. If the situation remains like this then the construction of Diamer Dam will hang like Kalabagh Dam. People will revolt against this biased and unbearable decision.
Recent effort made by the federal government:
It is in this context that the need for adopting a conciliatory approach GB is strongly felt. Political solution in form of GB Autonomy 2009 package is hailed as a little fresh air for the people of GB. The package is expected to mitigate their suffering and redress their grievance. Though elders, scholars, and politicians expressed their reservation on the package, the government and leading parties’ activists proclaimed as a little positive step for the prosperity of the people.
Federal government tries to address the many issues with justice—including the Diamer Dam royalty issue. Government should take step to address the prevailing situation before standing a big issue.