Sir: The federal minister for information, Pervaiz Rasheed, has made a controversial statement about Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). He has said that GB is constitutionally not part of Pakistan. The stepmotherly treatment meted out to GB by the federal government has always been a source of distress for the people. The so-called self-government rule 2009, followed by the puppet government, has brought no improvement to the region except for reinforcing the culture of corruption, nepotism, and extremism. The question arises, if GB is not part of Pakistan, why is the government building dams there to benefit Pakistan. The dream of a Pak-China corridor could only be possible because of GB. The importance of GB is vital from all angles, because the area is full of resources, both human and natural. The people of GB have proved themselves in every field, from scaling the highest mountains to combating terrorists in Swat. The federal government must provide constitutional rights to GB, and avoid making such statements lest GB too becomes another Balochistan, breeding all sorts of disturbances and challenges. Dr Wali Bagoro Lahore