Window to Gilgit-Baltistan

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History: The Gilgit-Baltistan Conundrum

By Sajjad Ahmad Every year on November 1, the region of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) officially celebrates its independence from Kashmir’s Dogra family rule. Gilgit was liberated on November 1, 1947 while Baltistan was freed in 1948 as a result of a bloody freedom war. Despite protestations from India and even some Kashmiris, and despite Gilgit Baltistan existing in Pakistani maps as a part of a territory whose status has yet to be determined, the people of GB have never accepted being part of the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir, over which Pakistan and India have been at loggerheads since Independence in 1947. It is instructive to look back at history to understand why. Before its independence, present-day GB was part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, one of the largest princely states of India. This state was created in 1846 after the signing of a treaty between the British and Gulab Singh of the Dogra dynasty. During the first Anglo-Sikh war (1845-1846), Gulab Singh, who was servin

The Faultline Between Pakistan & G-B (II)

By S. M. Abbas Kazmi WENEVER IT CAME to holding a consultative meeting and a table talk with the local leadership for taking them in to confidence, he would always pose dictatorially himself acting like a Military Governor of an occupied territory. He declared himself as the Political Agent appointed by Pakistan Government and imposed Frontier Crime Rules (FCR) in Gilgit. He is referred to as having threatened the local people that if they did not abide his orders, he would go back with Maj Brown, leaving them at the mercy of the Dogra Forces to retake them. (Brown page: 226) During a meeting, Sardar Aalam Khan, the self-made Political Agent, scolded and humiliated Sub.Major Babar Khan the key-person and the leading hero of the successful revolt against Dogra. The humiliation it is said, was resorted to in presence of other princely figures of Gilgit, who were all very closely related to him. Sardar Aalam Khan warned Babar Khan to confine himself only to his duties in military barrac

The Faultline Between Pakistan & Gilgit-Baltistan

By S. M. Abbas Kazmi Research and commentary THE TERRITORY CURRENTLY called “Gilgit-Baltistan” comprising an extensive area of about 72900 sq km is encircled by four “Nuke Powers” i,e; China, India, Pakistan and Soviet Russia. It is home to about 1.5 million of people with a diverse demographic constitution to be reckoned with as 40 percent (approx) Tibetans, 40 percent Indo Arians and 20 percent consists of different other ethnic groups. The past history of the region is such that it comprised a cluster of more or less 12 independent States or dominions ruled over by a few dynasties. During 18th Century AD, Dogra Forces conquered Gilgit & Baltistan and forcibly made it a part of the Jammu & Kashmir (State). In August 1947, a close relative of the Maharaja of Kashmir, Brigadier Ghansara Singh was posted to Gilgit region as the new Governor of Gilgit while the British Officer Major William Brown as the Commandant of the Gilgit Scouts - an arrangement that continued untill 31st

Ali Sadpara : Eulogy from Wali Nagri

By Syed Shamsuddin Eulogy from veteran journalist and famed poet Wali Nagri: محمد علی سدپارہ کے نام ۔ ۔ ۔ ۔ ۔ بلندیوں سے محبت تھی اسکی چاہت تھی وہ چوٹیوں کا تھا گرویدہ اور ارادت تھی پہاڑ دیکھ کے دیوانہ وار چڑھتے تھے میں کیا بیان کروں اسکی کیا شجاعت تھی کہا تھا برف میں اپنا گھر بنانا ہے تو گھر بنا لیا سدپارہ تیری ہمت تھی تو مسکرا کے چلا اور رلا دیا سب کو تو کھو گیا کہیں کےٹو میں تیری قسمت تھی خدا وہاں بھی بلندی تمھیں نصیب کرے بلندیوں سے محبت تھی تیری چاہت تھی A fitting eulogy so aptly depicting and lovingly delineating Muhammad Ali Sadpara's sterling characteristics has been brought out by the poet. A torchbearer in the arena of the world of mountaineering, Ali, along with his equally courageous and illustrious co-climbers, hugged heroically the awfully majestic K2 to become its integral part to quench his abiding thirst of summiteering. Indeed, they made a niche in history by accepting the challenge of scaling the most challenging, the loftiest and the most difficult peak (K

Mourning Mom's Death

VERILY DEVASTATING AND immeasurably heartbreaking is the passing away of one’s parents that literally wreaks havoc with the offspring. The never-healing wound wrought about by the saddest incident and consequent trauma continues indefinitely and unabated. Put it succinctly, the vacuum created by the heart-wrenching and extraordinarily painful occurrence of parental transition from here (the ephemeral) to eternity orphaning the offspring and that especially of one’s mom literally deprives the progeny of her perennial blessings in this world. The enormity and magnitude of the shock and grief associated with this tragedy is beyond description that causes a vacuum never to fill. In short, it is such a moment of profound grief that no ceaseless mourning or wailing of sorts for the departed soul on the part of the children and the dear and near ones, is to make this gigantic loss reparable in any way; nor can it make the mom’s abiding limitless love, care and affection recoupable or retrie

Icons on the Pantheon of Gilgit-Baltistan

By Syed Shamsuddin CUSTOMARY IT HAS been eversince 1947, to commemorate 1st November each year with fitting jubilation and pomp, across Gilgit-Baltistan as the epoch-making triumphal day on which the regional people unshackled themselves and threw off the yoke of servitude fastened to their necks by an unimaginative power id est the Dogras who had forcibly occupied the territory about a century back in connivance with and at the instance of the British India. This initiative therefore, is aimed at paying glowing tributes to, and eulogize the gigantic contribution and achievement of the iconic personages – the victors (ghazis), martyrs (shaheeds) and those who got injured terribly with some losing thier limbs and thus heroically became the change-makers in the regional history at such a very vital point in time and such critical moment and as such emerged as the symbol and source of hope, courage, determination and inspiration to put it succinctly. The momentous struggle marking the