So, the Government of Pakistan has officially decided to convert Gilgit Baltistan into a province. Although the procedure through which this process would be completed has not been announced yet, analysts have started to share their opinions on, “What possible outcomes can occur?” Some are criticizing this step while others are lauding the Government for listening to the voices of GB. To analyze it we need to look in history and try to understand, “Why GB is controversial when it comes to its status?”
Before the partition, both AZAD KASHMIR(AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (Gilgit and Baltistan were districts of J&K) were part of the princely of state Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). But after the partition when India illegally captured Kashmir, locals started a revolt and freed some parts of the State. After the revolt, Pakistan divided this area into two entities AJK and Northern Areas (included the GB districts in 1970).
Then, under the presidency of Asif Zardari in 2009, GB was given limited autonomy via the Empowerment and Self Government Ordinance[1]. After this Federal Governments have proposed many reforms in GB and finally the draft Gilgit Baltistan Governance reforms 2018[2],
has been shared with the Supreme Court. Through this, the Federal Govt aims to award GB a provincial status subject to the decision of the plebiscite promised by the UNSC resolutions.
Now, Pakistan needs to take this step due to its strategic location as 1300 KM Karakoram Highway is the sole route that connects Pakistan to China and Central Asia. There is also news of huge Chinese investments in this region through CPEC. To ensure the security local community demands (which are to make GB a Province) cannot be neglected. Due to these reasons People in Government have started thinking to make it as a Province.
The step to make GB a Province is as applaudable as it is controversial. The biggest obstacle is the resolutions of the UNSC which sees this region as a part of the princely state. Thus, if Pakistan takes this step it would jeopardize its stance on the Kashmir issue. Moreover, there is also a lack of social and political linkages between AJK and GB. People of GB believe that they would be given a provincial status and representation in the National Assembly while people of AJK believe that GB is a part of Kashmir it should not be given the provincial status.
It is the bitter reality that the Government of Pakistan is responsible for this gap between the two regions. The region of GB has never been run by its locals since its independence. GB affairs were run by the Interior ministry and ministry for GB affairs. There developed a thought among the masses that they fell behind because of the Kashmir Issue (while in the reality responsible are people in power). Instead of providing them their rights, the men in power have turned them against Kashmir. This resulted in hatred between the two regions which could produce horrifying results.
No one is against the empowerment of GB, the only point of leaders of AJK and IOK is that GB is a part of the disputed territory, don’t take such steps that would jeopardize our stance. People of AJK are of the view that GB should be given the set up like AJK. They should be given total autonomy so that they can prosper.
Thus, It would be better to find an alternative route for its empowerment without causing damage to Kashmir’s cause.
https://www.satp.org/Docs/Document/845.pdf
https://pamirtimes.net/2019/01/06/prospective-governance-reforms-in-gilgit-baltistan/
The author hails from Azad Kashmir, Pakistan and is currently studying BSCS in NUST, Islamabad, Pakistan.