Gilgit-Baltistan has once again attracted attention of digital right activists in the country. The undernoted movement that simmered for several years in the recent past, has now grown into a full-fledged campaign. A humble movement focusing on genuine issue of internet connectivity has now marked its place amongst the top trends on social media platforms. Photographs of students climbing up electric pylons to catch internet signals went viral globally with feverish circulation of critical messages against the service providers. On sidelines of this movement, criticism on government and state institutions was observed as intense and hostile in the cyber space. But this movement was not the only one of its kind. Earlier a similar campaign from people living in areas of FATA (that now formally merged into KPK) also took similar issue faced by the area to the pitches of social media. Ultimately their complaint did reach Islamabad High Court (IHC). On April 14, Islamabad High Court directed the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to restore 3G and 4G services in the former FATA region declaring that digital connectivity was a basic right of every citizen. The decision was a much needed relief for people of FATA but the issues related to Gilgit-Baltistan and its people are far more compound and complex beyond the visible issue of digital connectivity.
During last few years, visible discontent revolving around constitutional status of the area and other themes of deprivation has increased in Gilgit-Baltistan. Realization particularly amongst the youth has set in that’s the government has failed to understand and appreciate the gravity of the emerging discontent. High level of education and awareness amongst the youth has catalyzed the discontent which questions the continued disregard for the constitutional rights of the people of this area. On the other hand, our archenemy India is also fervently trying to highlight themes based on subversive narrative related to political and social situation in Gilgit-Baltistan. The announcement of elections in Gilgit-Baltistan by government has stuck a spiny bone down India’s throat. The issue of Gilgit-Baltistan reverberated even in the recent sessions of Indian parliament where consistent references to India’s claim on the territory were made. On the other hand internal security in Gilgit-Baltistan remains fragile. Society at large remains divided on basis of sect and tribes. Political environment in Gilgit-Baltistan is also smoldering with sectarian undercurrents. Situation remains inflammable and vulnerable to outbreak of sectarian violence particularly after the recent killings in Naltar (Gilgit). With lot of fissures and internal differences in society, burden has increased multiple times on government to keep the issues, even at the grass root level, properly managed.
Perception of the local youth about the nature and direction of their society are contaminated and fed with anti-state propaganda through social media
Youth of Gilgit-Baltistan seem more agitated as compared to previous years. Strong negative perception prevails amongst them that state institutions have not been able to manage fissures within society so far. A constant feeling of disorientation and ambiguity plagues the people particularly youth of this region leading to an eternal sense of incompletion. Bitterness, anguish and political cum social grievances stoked by inability of government to deal with them, has made deep niches into the psyche of local people. Constitutional status of Gilgit-Baltistan and themes revolving around deprivations remain most important issue for people of area. Diaspora of Gilgit-Baltistan, not only inside the country but that settled in Europe and United States America, is also actively participating in discussions. This diaspora remains strongly connected with the issues faced by people in area. Realization has somehow matured in minds of people particularly the youth that the area has been deliberately trapped in the Kashmir dispute, thus left by government to wait for the plebiscite which will never be held. Despite all the impatience for a verdict from Pakistan, the State is not likely to decide in favor of people of Gilgit-Baltistan in any way. Due to strong negative yet popular themes on existing political / social facts and deprivations, government is likely to gradually loosen its grip, if not the territory then definitely on the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. The sub-nationalist movement that was centripetal in nature (pushing state towards integration with country) now seems to be turning into a centrifugal movement. Inaction and lack of response on equal level and plain on part of government have reinforced this feed of a properly designed anti-state narrative. Perception of the local youth about the nature and direction of their society are contaminated and fed with anti-state propaganda through social media. Government’s inability to address issues related to people of the area particularly the youth is helping propagation and reinforcement of subversive narratives.
Gilgit-Baltistan is an important opportunity left for India to deprive Pakistan of moral ascendency against Indian weak moral position in occupied Kashmir. On the other hand, unaddressed issues related to constitutional status of area and rising mercury of dissatisfaction particularly amongst youth is affording better prospects for a psychological operation for enemy. It is for sure that hostile intelligence agencies will not stop anywhere short of highlighting the anti-Pakistan narrative regarding Gilgit-Baltistan by propagating a malicious description of issues in Gilgit-Baltistan both domestically and internationally amongst youth.
The strategic importance of the area, its connectivity to China and being only door to all economic opportunities connected to CPEC, increases significance of Gilgit-Baltistan as target for enemy. Thus for Pakistan, continued neglect is not an option.
It is imperative for state to remove irritants in the existing opaque governance arrangements without further delay and provide a transparent governance structure based on the consent of the local assembly and a sound legal instrument establishing a strong linkage with the federation. The Supreme Court has already provided clear guidelines in its detailed landmark judgment on January 7, 2019 for provisionally giving representation in parliament subject to the settlement of the Kashmir dispute. Government of Pakistan should do everything that is possible to ensure that Government of Pakistan and its judiciary has a locus standi on territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. Otherwise the perception that area has been illegally and forcibly occupied by Pakistan, cannot be defeated.
It is a fair assessment that government and state institutions serving it have not been able to take optimal advantage of reservoir of youth energy and enthusiasm. If young people are left at their own to feel that they have no power or influence over the policies and structures which determine their lives, then institutional individualization would put them at risk, more than any other segment in the society. While disregard of the legitimate demands of the area will have serious implications for Pakistan and important development projects like CPEC, leaving the issues affecting people particularly the youth of this area unattended will be a recipe for disaster for integration of this area with the country.
The writer is a versatile analyst and speaker on contemporary issues