New Delhi (NVI): Under constant pressure from China, Pakistan has decided to elevate Gilgit-Baltistan’s status to that of a full-fledged province, while brazenly ignoring India’s protests regarding Islamabad’s efforts to bring material change in Pakistan occupied territories.
The move has been criticised by Human Rights activists and experts who have said that it will be challenged on legal and constitutional grounds.
Several activists from Gilgit-Baltistan have also been protesting over the Imran Khan government’s move to forcibly turn the region into one of Pakistan’s provinces. This also comes when the people in G-B are living under one of the worst systems of governance in Pakistan with no basic human, political and economic rights.
“Gilgit Baltistan is a part of Ladakh province of the State of Jammu & Kashmir, since 1947 it’s under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. Pakistan can’t make it a province. Any such move from Pakistan shall be resisted worldwide & challenged on legal & constitutional grounds,” tweeted Prof Sajjad Raja, Chairman, National Equality Party, JKGBL (Jammu Kashmir Gilgit Baltistan and Ladakh), who has been raising his voice against Pakistan’s attempts to gain complete control on PoK which is a disputed territory.
Gilgit Baltistan is a part of Ladakh province of the State of Jammu & Kashmir, since 1947 it’s under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. Pakistan can’t make it a province. Any such move from Pakistan shall be resisted worldwide & challenged on legal & constitutional grounds. pic.twitter.com/qtP0b5KxRi
— Prof. Sajjad Raja (@NEP_JKGBL) September 18, 2020
According to a report in Pakistan media on Wednesday, Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs, Ali Amin Gandapur, said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would soon visit the region and make the formal announcement to elevate Gilgit-Baltistan to the status of a full-fledged province with all constitutional rights.
The minister has also said that Gilgit-Baltistan would be given adequate representation on all constitutional bodies, including the National Assembly and the Senate.
Behind all this facade is an underlying truth that China has been pressuring Pakistan for several years now to incorporate Gilgit-Baltistan as a full-fledged province. China couldn’t afford to invest billions of dollars on a road that passes through a disputed territory claimed both by India and Pakistan.
It is pertinent to mention here that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), linking China to Gwadar post in Balochistan province has an investment worth USD 60 billion dollars and Pakistan has to abide by Beijing’s policies under its ambitions Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) since it is already facing the challenges of a dipping economy.
India has already protested against Islamabad’s efforts to bring material change in Pakistan occupied areas. In a statement issued in May this year, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said that Pakistan should immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation.
Gilgit-Baltistan is a part of undivided Jammu and Kashmir and it was illegally occupied by Pakistan by military force in 1947. Since then, the mountainous region has been witnessing immense subjugation at the hands of Pakistan and its Army.
