Pakistan, Yet again, Has stated that Gilgit Baltistan will be merged into Pakistan as a Fifth province. The timing of this oft repeated announcement seems to have Chinese considerations ,aimed as a response to India depicting Gilgit Baltistan as a part of Leh District of Union territory of Ladakh . Unknown to most, Pre 1901, Gilgit Baltistan and Ladakh were one unit called Northern frontiers of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
To understand the present Pakistani position ,the issue of Gilgit Baltistan has to be understood.
Gilgit Baltistan comprised of Wazarat of Gilgit, Gilgit Agency & Wazarat of Ladakh. Baltistan was a part of Ladakh. Strategically ,the most important area was Gilgit Agency which was leased by the British for 60 years from Maharaja Hari Singh in 1935. Gilgit agency comprised of Gilgit west of Indus River and the Vassal states. Most important in present context of these were Hunza, Nagar and Punial. Vassal states were the frontier tribal states which paid tribute to the Maharaja. The importance of these Vassal states arose from their location,Criss crossed by trade routes to Eurasia, Central Asia and Afghanistan . The most important State was Hunza as it was from there the British feared Russians could create a land route via Gilgit to Arabian Sea. To understand the present context, it is the route of the proposed CPEC and the Existing Karakoram Highway. The British raised a Millitary unit named Gilgit scouts from the natives of Gilgit, Hunza and Nagar and by Enlistment from Mirpur ,Poonch and Jammu region. The area was remote, mountainous, sparsely populated and was inaccessible once snow fell ,from October to March .
The Myth often propagated by Pakistan is that since Gilgit Agency was leased to the British, Maharaja had no authority over it. Another myth is that the local population wanted to accede to Pakistan . Yet another myth is that the Mirs of Hunza and Nagar acceded to Pakistan hence Accession of Gilgit to Pakistan was legal.
British had dissolved all existing treaties and leases with Princely states with the end of its Paramountcy . There is extensive material on record in National archives over reverting of Gilgit agency to Maharaja Hari Singh. On 28 July 1947 , The British issued a Gazette Notification stating that Gilgit agency would be reverted back to Maharaja Hari Singh on 1 August 1947. British parliament made it very clear on 25 March 2017 via a resolution that Gilgit Baltistan was a part of state of JK when Pakistan was attempting to merge it as a fifth province .
As per Records, as early as May 1947, Gilgit Agency was to be reverted back to Maharaja, the residents were happy with returning to Dogra rule and Gilgit scouts also had Negotiated their terms of employment with Maharaja’s government .The Vassal states of Hunza and Nagar were never accorded status of Independent states in a India Act 1935 and were vassal states of Maharaja. Once Maharaja had acceded to Dominion of India , the Mirs had no right to accede to Pakistan.
Post reverting of Gilgit Agency to Maharaja Hari Singh , there was delay in setting up administration in Gilgit. The Maharaja was busy in quelling uprisings in poonch and Gilgit was neglected. Brigadier Ghansara Singh took over as Governor of Gilgit and arrived with a treasury for Gilgit.
The delay in Setting up administration and posting of Rebellious regiment of J& K army from poonch to Bunji set the stage for ‘Gilgit Mutiny’ . The invasions by Pakistani tribals of Jammu and Kashmir on 22 Oct, started rumours of atrocities against Muslims. The idea of Islamic state gripped the Fancy of tribals of Frontier Area. These tribals were unlettered and followed Sharia. A narrative was created of Hindu ruler unleashing torture on Muslim subjects. The Muslim officers and other ranks of Gilgit scouts were contacted by Muslim officers of Maharaja’s Army to incite them for a Mutiny.
Violence against Non Muslims began in Gilgit and the subjects asked protection of Brigadier Ghansara Singh. The Muslim soldiers massacred fellow Sikhs and Hindus soldiers at Bunji and moved to Gilgit. The scouts were outnumbered and were forced to join the mutiny or be killed. Brigadier Ghansara Singh was imprisoned . The raja of Punial( Sunni Muslim ) ,who supported Dogra kings, came to protect Brigadier Ghansara Singh . On 4 November , the rebels announced Gilgit was acceding to Pakistan. Major Brown carried out the ‘accession’, and the Mirs of Hunza and Nagar too ‘acceded’ to Pakistan.
Once the Pakistani Army and Government took over , they Kidnapped the employees of J&K government and forced them to work under Pakistan. The women were converted and forcibly married off to Pakistani army officers. There was complete blackout of information from this area. The first news of Killing and conversion of non Muslims in Gilgit Came via Hindu traders of Kashgar.
In February 1948 , the Pakistani army invaded Baltistan. The non Muslim population took refuge in Skardu Fort under Major Sher Jung Thapa. For 6 months ,Skardu withstood siege by Pakistan army, Surrendering on 14 August 1948.
Post UN mandated ceasefire, the Present Area of Gilgit Baltistan came under Pakistani occupation. In contravention of UN resolutions, It divided the occupied area into ‘Azad Kashmir’(Mirpur Muzzafarabad area of J&K) and ‘Northern Areas’ ( present day Gilgit Baltistan).
A top secret report of 1951 ,mentions that the Population of Gilgit Baltistan had become disillusioned by Pakistani occupation within a few months. The sharia compliant population saw their dream of an Islamic nation shattered as Pakistani army and government officials did not practise Islamic way of life. The wide spread corruption and imposition of Pathan administrators saw people yearning for Dogra rule. Food items become very costly with employment being denied to original inhabitants. It is very tragic that the discontent was not seized upon at that time and Gilgit Baltistan liberated .
In 1963, 5160 sq km area of Shaksgam adjoining Xinxiang and Siachen was ceded to China.
In 1974, Pakistan removed the state subject rule of Maharaja Hari Singh and allowed Sunnis to migrate and settle in the Shia majority Region. The Migration was enabled by building of Karakoram Highway that connected Gilgit to Kashgar.Sectarian violence was unleashed on a wide scale and 1988 saw intense Sunni-Shia Riots.
India, unfortunately ,did not intervene, always citing UN resolutions and Talks as a way. Thus, the ethnic Gilgit Baltistan citizens tried to either get independence and create a state of Balwaristan, reunite with a India or seek to be merged with Pakistan to get rights and say in Pakistan .
Interestingly , the Pakistani constitution does not recognise Gilgit Baltistan as a Province. Judgements of SC in Pakistan have underlined the non constitutional status of Gilgit Baltistan.
Post CPEC, China has become a party to the issue and would like to see Gilgit Baltistan become a part of Pakistan. Amending the constitution to include Gilgit Baltistan is not a big effort for Pakistan as the constitution has been rewritten many times since creation of Pakistan.
The dilemma Pakistan faces is that in case it merges Gilgit Baltistan ,it has to officially disown UN resolutions. The ‘plebiscite’ narrative and the Idea of Annexing Kashmir have to be abandoned. That is the reason Pakistan announces annexation but does not Follow through.
India has all the facts to prove the illegality of Pakistani occupation of Gilgit Baltistan . The Ethnic inhabitants of Gilgit Baltistan are very restless, as they see CPEC exploiting their resources without benefits for them.
The ancient Cultural links of Gilgit Baltistan with India are etched in stone, in form of More than 2000 rock carvings and petroglyphs scattered around the trade routes . The living proofs are in the Sanskrit origin of Shina , spoken by Gilgit Inhabitants.Yungdrung, A swastika, is venerated by the Muslims of Baltistan as their pre Islamic heritage. The script Balti is Tibetan and finds an echo with Ladakhi language and script.
| Ancient Cultural links bind Gilgit Baltistan to India and not to Pakistan or China . The links needs to be publicised and our cultural heritage , under threat of being submerged in CPEC projects need to be protected. |
The 1994 Parliamentary Resolution needs to be revived in letter and spirit. Territories are not lost by Occupation but when they are Forgotten . Let India reclaim its forgotten territory of Gilgit Baltistan.
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