Pakistan blamed for Gilgit Baltistan's trouble

Pakistan blamed for Gilgit Baltistan's trouble

The continuation of the exploitative and colonial policies in Gilgit-Baltistan has increased the sense of frustration and anger among the people of the region.
The resolution of the NWFP assembly seeking renaming of Diamer-Basha dam as Basha; the Bhunji dam plan and unchecked looting and plundering of natural resources of the region have smashed the dream of accession of Gilgit-Baltistan with Pakistan.
These views were expressed by Chairman Gilgit-Baltistan United Movemnet Manzoor Husain Parwana.
Commenting on the recent killing of NLI personnel in tribal areas, he said to eliminate the impression that NLI was the local army of Northern Areas, people from Punjab and NWFP were being inducted in the unit and Balti and Gilgiti youth were dispersed to different units and local NLI personnel were sent to trouble-hit areas of NWFP and Balochistan. This, he added, was like rubbing salt into the Kargil injuries of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
He said the new government was giving safe exit to those who sent the NLI personnel to Kargil in the disguise of mujahideen and got them killed in a large number. It is disappointing that now bodies of NLI personnel are brought home from the tribal areas, igniting the sentiment of the masses.
Parwana said though ‘Washington obedient’ rulers of Islamabad were trying to restore democracy in Pakistan but they never bothered to give basic rights to the 20 million people of Gilgit-Baltistan for the last over 60 years. No tangible steps have been taken to change the socio-economic condition of the area and the local people still remain deprived of all their basic constitutional rights. Even talking about the issues of Gilgit-Baltistan in the National Assembly of Pakistan is prohibited and the matter is termed sensitive. All these show that the people of this region have nothing to do with Pakistan.
He said looking at the socio-economic condition of Pakistan, its army’s war on terror with the people in tribal areas, the demand for representation in the National Assembly would be a suicidal decision for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
He said the people of Gilgit-Baltistan have now abandoned the intention to commit suicide and started struggle for a powerful and independent assembly which was a realistic timely decision.

Press Release
GBUM

Gilgit Baltistan leader demands Musharraf,s trial for killings

SKARDU 20 August 2008:
Chairman Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement (GBUM) Manzoor Husain Parwana has demanded that former president Pervez Musharraf should stand trial on the charge of killing innocent people not only in Pakistan but also in Gilgit-Baltistan.
In a statement here, he said Musharraf was responsible for launching the Kargil war in which hundreds of NLI personnel were killed. Not only this, Musharraf was also charged with killing innocent people in Gilgit-Baltistan at the behest of former dictator General Ziaul Haq in the year 1988.
He said Musharraf should be tried in the International Court of Justice so that no future dictator can commit such crimes in the country.
He said PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif had been demanding commission to probe the Kargil war and make Musharraf accountable for the killing. Now time has come Nawaz Sharif honoured his promises and form a commission to probe the Kargil war and bring the responsible to justice.
He stressed the need to form a transparent and independent commission to expose the fact behind the war and make the public know who planned and benefited from the war and who were responsible for the killing of NLI personnel after sending them to the war in civilian dresses disguised as mujahidden.
He said Kargil International magazine was banned for criticizing Musharraf. The charge-sheet prepared and published by the magazine against Musharraf has now turned out to be 100 per cent true and the local administration of Gilgit-Baltistan should apologize to the journalists and withdraw all cases against them, he added.





Manzoor Parwana

Chairman

Gilgit Baltistan United Movement

Skardu Baltistan

Book Musharraf as war crimnal

BSF services for political awakening hailed

BSF services for political awakening hailed

SKARDU: Baltistan Students Federation's services for the subjugated people of the region in attaining their basic rights during the last 23 years have been historic and praiseworthy. BSF has also created political awakening among the people of the region besides providing a platform for the nationalist parties of Gilgit-Baltistan.
This was stated by Chairman Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement (GBUM) Manzoor Hussain Parwana while addressing the central convention of BSF here.
He said the leadership of BNF, GBDA and GBUM had earlier worked in the platform of the BSF. He said some elements were out to harass the students of Baltistan and keep them away from their efforts to achieve national rights.
He advised the students not to give an ear to such elements because remaining slaves does not suit the sons of Ali Sher Achan, adding the day was not far when the youth of the region would be in the forefront of the struggle for independence by following in the footsteps of Ali Sher Achan.
Mr Parwana said the BSF was a students' body which did not believe in ethnicity, sectarianism and prejudice. He said those who at the behest of security agencies were trying to push the students towards ethnic and regional prejudices would never succeed in their designs. He expressed the hope that the BSF leadership would foil all such conspiracies through judicious decisions.
He said under a conspiracy, the students of the region were being kept away from their culture, language and tradition. In this regard, he added, the politicians and intellectuals of the region were also responsible in one way or the other. He said our politicians have been boasting that they have got the region's succession with Pakistan but they do not tell the masses if the area had ever acceded to Pakistan who was responsible for taking this decision, where and when such an agreement was signed and with whom. If there exists such an agreement then why we have no representation in parliament of Pakistan, why the name of Gilgit-Baltistan is not mentioned in the constitution of Pakistan, why Pakistan considers Gilgit-Baltistan a disputed region and why the Supreme Court of Pakistan considers the area part of Kashmir?
He said Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA) was about to bring a resolution calling for accession of the region with Pakistan. If such a resolution is tabled and passed by the house it would be the last knell in the coffin of our slavery, he warned, asking the people to be ready for foiling such a step.

Government policies alienating youth of Gilgit Baltistan

Chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement (GBUM) Manzoor Hussain Parwana has said the arrest of Ghulam Shahzad Agha showed the frustration of the Skardu administration over the popular struggle of nationalist forces in the region. He said the double standard of the local administration was causing a wide gulf between the new generation of Gilgit-Baltistan and the rulers of Pakistan.In a press statement issued here, Mr Parwana said the workers of federalist political parties including the Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were freely moving in the region with their vehicles hoisted with party flags while the nationalist leaders and activists were rounded up on concocted charges. He pointed out that Gilgit-Baltistan was not part of Pakistan and the free movement and activities of workers and activists of Pakistani political parties in the region was illegal and unconstitutional.He invited all federalist political parties to come forward and launch a joint struggle for achievement of basic rights for the people of the region instead of wasting their energies and resources on unimportant and unachievable objectives. He said due to poor policies on Gilgit-Baltistan, the government of Pakistan was facing troubles at the national and international levels. He said Islamabad was also facing world pressure due to human rights violations in Giolgit-Baltistan.He said that looking at the plundering of resources of the region at the hands of Pkistani rulers it seemed that the rulers had realized the writing on the wall and were trying to put their hands on whatever resources available to them. Otherwise there was no justification for opening the doors of leases for multinational companies by violating national and norms and rules and regulations, he added.He said nationalist forces in the region were getting unprecedented public support. He asked the people to stand up against plundering of their resources and protect them for the coming generations. Mr Parwana further said nationalist forces of the region were getting public support from all parts of the region and people were backing the agenda of GBDA and all nationalist parties have agreed on a one-point agenda of an independent state assembly for Gilgit-Baltistan.