Gilgit Baltistan: Provincial like set up rejected

“The so-called provincial like set up is fraudulent and blackmailing offers of the government which aimed to conceal the political atrocities and brutal colonial control on the people in the occupied region”. This was stated by Manzoor Hussain Parwana Chairman Gilgit Baltistan United Movement reacting over the "Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self Governance Order 2009", recently announced by the government of Pakistan to Gilgit Baltistan.

The government of Pakistan’s empowerment package granted to the people of Gilgit Baltistan is illegal and holds no ground at all because Gilgit Baltistan does not fall under the constitution of Pakistan. The people of Gilgit Baltistan rejected the cosmetic package to the region because it is not alternative of “our Independence”. He opined.

Parwana said that the tactics of government of Pakistan are meant to buy time and secrete violations of human and political rights. We demanded for an “Independent Constitutional Assembly” until the resolution of Kashmir dispute but we were cheated once again on the name of “self autonomy”.
He said.

Under the newly announced empowerment order, the existing Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA) will be given the status of provincial like set up with powers to make its own annual budget and development plan, which earlier was in the Musharaf’s package. The post of Chairman, who is an official appointed by Islamabad and who calls the ruler of the region, has been renamed the Governor of the province. The post of the chief executive has been upgraded to chief minister. The existing NALA’s advisors renamed ministers.

He said the government did not take the stakeholder on board to formulate the packages and imposed an unconstitutional act while the people are expecting and demanding Azad Kashmir Like set up, to run the region in the light of UNCIP resolutions as an independent state ,having it own constitutional assembly, president, prime minister, judiciary and national identity .


Issued by

Gilgit Baltistan United Movement
Skardu Baltistan
Dated: 29 August 2009

Gilgit Baltistan: Proposal of Pakistani Think Tank Rejected

SKARDU: The proposal of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) to make Gilgit-Baltistan a province of Pakistan is farce, impracticable and will never be accepted by the people of the region. This was stated by chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement Manzoor Hussain Parwana while reacting to the proposal by the NGO recently.He said the proposal coming from the intellectuals of Pakistan was tantamount to distorting facts about the issue because how an area which was not even part of Pakistan can be made its province. He said Pakistan cannot amend Article 1 of the constitution of 1973 to make Gilgit-Baltistan its province because Gilgit-Baltistan has no representation in the parliament of Pakistan, nor the parliament has the right to legislate on the region. If it is possible under the constitution, it would be taken as a ploy to perpetuate Pakistan's rule in the region, Mr Parwana maintained. He said at present the rulers of Pakistan were not even in a position to bring changes to the wrongs done to the constitution by former dictators and to amend the law for the sake of Gilgit-Blatistan would cerate more complications for the country. He said if the National Assembly wanted to bring the region under the control of Pakistan it cannot do so because it was not under the jurisdiction of the house. Had it the power to do so, then it must do the same to bring the regions of Kargil and Ladakh into Pakistan's control, so that the issue of Kashmir is resolved for good. He said the people of Gilgit-Baltistan had no intention to acceded to Pakistan because their forefathers had no entered in such an agreement with Pakistan. He said people must understand that in 1947, the people of the region had formed a state of their own after kicking out the Dogras which was later abolished in the name of the Kashmir issue and the region is still attached to Kashmir dispute. As the issue of Kashmir is to be resolved, so is the issue of Gilgit-Baltistan, he added.The GBUM chief said if the intellectuals of Pakistan cannot raise voice for the rights of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, they should not create confusion about the rights of the local people by presenting unworkable solution to the international issue.

Gilgit Baltistan: Leader asked to withdraw Rangers from the region

Gilgit Baltistan: Nationalist activists booked in skardu

The civil administration has imposed section 144 in Skardu and instructed the secret agencies to arrest the students and sympathieser of Baltistan Students Federation from other cities of Pakistan whom have intention to visit Skardu to attend the convention of BSF on 18 July 2009.
Skardu Police has registered FIR against 16 nationalist activists under the sections 186,149,506,447,357 of Pakistan Penel Code.
The police arrested Syed Hyder Shah Rizvi (Vice President Balawaristan National Front) ,Shulam Shehzad Agha (Secretary General Gilgit Baltistan United Movement) ,Haji Inayat Ali (senior citizen) including the workers of BSF Hassnain ,Muhammad Sabir,Muhammad Ashraf,Amjad Ali,Sakhawat ,Asif, Ashaq,Feroz ,Abbas and Ismail .
The city was completely shot down yesterday on the call of Baltistan Students Federation against the heinous and brutal action of city police. Skardu police is also searching the others nominated activists and raided several spot and homes in the city to arrest the remaining accused.
According to the reports Baltistan Students Federation is going to held annual central convention in Skardu on 18 July 2009,.
The tense in the city was raised on 13 July 2009 when Executive Engineer NAPWD Muhammad Rasheed has tore the invitation letter of BSF in front of the students .The students protested against the misbehavior of Muhammad Rasheed and at the end of peaceful rally police has arrested the activists.

Manzoor Hussain Parwana Chairman Gilgit Baltistan United Movement has strongly condemned the arrest and calls the civil administration to release the activist.
Parwana blamed that the non-local civil administration wants to shift the sectarianism and regionalism in Baltistan after sabotaging the peace of Gilgit City.
The non local civil administration of skardu in responsible to create tense in the city

Press Release
GBUM

Gilgit Baltistan: Police arrested political leader

Skardu:14 July 2009
Skardu Police today has arrested Ghulam Shehzad Agha along with 8 other political activists of Gilgit Baltistan United Movement and Baltistan Students Federation.
Baltistan Students Federation is going to held her annual central convention in Skardu on 18 July 2009, but the administration is not allowing to held the scheduled convention is Skardu. The tense in the city was raised yesterday on 13 July when Execative Engineer NAPWD Muhammad Rasheed has tored the invitation letter of BSF in front of the students .The students arranged protest rally againts Muhammad Rasheed today. At the end of peaceful rally police has arrested the secretary General GBUM Shazzad Agha including with other 8 students.
Manzoor Hussain Parwana Chairman Gilgit Baltistan United Movement has strongly condemned the arrest and call the officals to release the activists immediately.
Parwana said unfortunatly in the goverment of PPP such incidents occured in the sity which is the double standard democatical system of the government.

Issued by
GBUM

Gilgit Baltistan: The worst security situation

Giligt Baltistan: Where the 3rd World War will be over ?

Gilgit -Baltistan is a remarkable strategic crossroad region of the world, with 28,000 square miles of area situated in the midst of four nuclear powers. This noteworthy constituency between China, Pakistan, Central Asian Republics and India is also known as “Where the empires meet” or “Where the powers meet”. The three highest mountain ranges of the world i.e. Karakoram, Hindukush and Himalaya also join hands here. This region is the focus of attention of tourists and adventurers, world over, extensively rich in mineral wealth and immense natural resources.

According to the analysts "The Third World War will be over fresh water". Glaciers, rivers and streams of Karakorum, Hamalaya and Hindukush are the second big source of fresh water in the world. In order to win the war over fresh water in the near future USA has fixed her eyes over Deosai Plateau.

The Deosai Plateau, known as the highest plateau in the world is located at the boundary of the Karakoram and the western Himalayas. Deosai Plains are at about 30 kilometres from Skardu at an average elevation of 3500 metre.
It is a beautiful summer pasture with greenery and countless species of Fiona flora. The view of the Karakorum Range from the top of the 4785 meter pass is legendary. Apart from fairies, this plateau is the habitat of the greatly threatened Himalayan Brown Bear and many other wild animals.
Due to its geographical and defensive importance, USA and UK has often asked Pakistan to let them use these plains for their military purposes, but this is delayed or refused by the Pakistani Government due to the opposition and resistance of the local population. USA can raise the agenda of protecting fresh water from atomic explosion, chemical pollution and Talibanisation to take control of the entire region.USA also needs air base surrounding the Karakuram Highway to monitor the activities of China.
Mostly it is thought that China will not tolerate the interference of USA in these areas. It is a one sided thought because the interference of USA in Gilgit-Baltistan does not affect China rather it will protect the interests of China. China is very suspicious about the growing activities of Taliban in NWPF the adjacent areas of Gilgit-Baltistan because China does not likes such activities on its border areas and if USA will engaged this area China will take a sign of relief.
To please China, America has offered concessions in the world trade market and also regarding Hong Kong. The hatred for USA by religious clerics are at its own place but if Dollar will replace Rayal and Tuman then new sermons will change the opinion of the masses.

By
Manzoor Hussain Parwana

{The writer is Editor of Monthly Magazine "Kargil International' (Banned). He is chairman of Gilgit Baltistan United Movement, a pro-independent organization in Baltistan.}