Gilgit-Baltistan

Coordinates: 35°21′N 75°54′E / 35.35°N 75.9°E / 35.35; 75.9
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(Redirected from Northern Areas)
Gilgit-Baltistan
گلگت بلتستان
Top: Attabad Lake
Bottom: K2
Map of the disputed Kashmir region showing areas of control by India, Pakistan, and China
A map of the disputed Kashmir region with the two Pakistan-administered areas shaded in sage-green.
Map
Interactive map of Gilgit-Baltistan
Coordinates: 35°21′N 75°54′E / 35.35°N 75.9°E / 35.35; 75.9
Administering countryTemplate:PK
Established1 November 1948
CapitalGilgit
Largest citySkardu[1]
Government
 • TypeAdministrative territory
 • BodyGovernment of Gilgit-Baltistan
 • GovernorSyed Mehdi Shah
 • Chief MinisterGulbar Khan
 • Chief SecretaryMuhammad Khuram Aga[2]
 • LegislatureGilgit-Baltistan Assembly
 • High CourtSupreme Appellate Court Gilgit-Baltistan[3]
Area
 • Total72,496 km2 (27,991 sq mi)
 [5]
Population
 (2014)
 • Total1,492,924
 • Density21/km2 (53/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+05:00 (PKT)
ISO 3166 codePK-GB
LanguagesBalti, Shina, Wakhi, Burushaski, Khowar, Domaki, Purgi, Changthang, Brokskat, Ladakhi, Urdu (administrative)
HDI (2019)0.592 Increase[6]
Medium
Assembly seats33[7]
Divisions3
Districts14
Tehsils31[8]
Union Councils113
Websitegilgitbaltistan.gov.pk

Gilgit Baltistan (Urdu: گلگت بلتستان), previously known as the Northern Areas, is the northern-most autonomous territory of Pakistan. In terms of land area it is bigger than Sierra Leone but smaller than Panama.[9][10]

It borders Azad Jammu and Kashmir in the south Indian-administered Kashmir in southeast and Khyber Pakhtukhwa to the west. It internationally borders Afghanistan to the north, although Tajikistan is separated by fourteen kilometres via Wakhan Corridor, the People's Republic of China to the northeast.[11]

Gilgit-Baltistan covers an area of over 72,971 km2 (28,174 sq mi) and is very mountainous. It had an estimated population of 1.8 million in 2015. Its capital city is Gilgit and the largest city is Skardu. The region is home to five of the 14 eight-thousanders, including K2. Three of the world's longest glaciers outside of Earth's polar regions are found in Gilgit-Baltistan. The main tourism activities are trekking and mountaineering.

Semi-autonomous status[change | change source]

On 29 August 2009, the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009, was passed by the Pakistani cabinet and later signed by the country's President. The order granted self-rule to the people of the former Northern Areas, now renamed Gilgit-Baltistan, by creating, among other things, an elected legislative assembly. There has been criticism and opposition to this move in Pakistan, India, and Gilgit-Baltistan.[12][13]

Gilgit Baltistan United Movement—while rejecting the new package—demanded that an independent and autonomous legislative assembly for Gilgit-Baltistan should be formed with the installation of local authoritative government as per the UNCIP resolutions, where the people of Gilgit-Baltistan will elect their president and the prime minister.[14]

In early September 2009, Pakistan signed an agreement with the People's Republic of China for a mega energy project in Gilgit-Baltistan which includes the construction of a 7,000-megawatt dam at Bunji in the Astore District.[15] This also resulted in protest from India, although Indian concerns were immediately rejected by Pakistan, which claimed that the Government of India has no locus standi in the matter.[16]

On 29 September 2009, the Pakistani Prime Minister, while addressing a huge gathering in Gilgit-Baltistan, announced a multi-billion rupee development package aimed at the socio-economic uplifting of people in the area. Development projects will include the areas of education, health, agriculture, tourism and the basic needs of life.[17][18][19] The Prime Minister further went on to say:

"You are getting your identity today. It is your right and has been your demand, and today we are fulfilling it."[20] Gilgit–Baltistan thus gained de facto province-like status without constitutionally becoming part of Pakistan.[21][22] The official poistion of Pakistan has rejected Gilgit–Baltistani calls for integration with Pakistan on the grounds that it would prejudice its international obligations with regard to the Kashmir dispute.

In 1982 the Pakistani President General Zia ul Haq proclaimed that the people of the Northern Areas were Pakistanis and had nothing to do with the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

An attempt in 1993 by the High Court of Azad Kashmir to annex Gilgit–Baltistan was quashed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, after protests by the predominantly Shia population of Gilgit–Baltistan, who feared domination by the Sunni Kashmiris.[23]

Demography[change | change source]

Main languages are Balti, Shina Burushaski, Wakhi and Khowar.

Government[change | change source]

The Government of Gilgit Baltistan also known as the State Government of the Northern Areas, is the highest governing authority of the territory and its 10 districts. It consists of an executive, led by the Governor of Gilgit Baltistan, a judiciary and a legislative branch.

Like other provinces in Pakistan, the head of state of Gilgit Baltistan is the governor. The governor is chosen by the President of Pakistan on the advice of the central government. The governor's post is largely ceremonial. It does not have much power. The Chief Minister is the head of government and is holds most of the executive powers.

The Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly is a 33-seat unicameral legislative body. It was formed as part of the Gilgit–Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order, 2009. This order gave the region self-rule and an elected legislative assembly.[24][25] Before this, the region had been directly ruled from Islamabad.

Districts of Gilgit Baltistan[change | change source]

Geography and climate[change | change source]

K2 as seen from Concordia
Satpara Lake, Skardu, in 2002

Gilgit–Baltistan borders the Wakhan corridor of Afghanistan to the northwest, China's Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang to the northeast, the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the south and southeast, the Pakistani-controlled state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to the south, and Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the west.

Gilgi-Baltistan is home to five of the "eight-thousanders" and to more than fifty peaks above 7000 meters. Gilgit and Skardu are the two main hubs for expeditions to those mountains. The region is home to some of the world's highest mountain ranges—the main ranges are the Karakoram Mountains and the western Himalayas. The Pamir mountains are to the north, and the Hindu Kush lies to the west. Amongst the highest mountains are K2 (Mount Godwin-Austen) and Nanga Parbat, the latter being one of the most feared mountains in the world.

The Deosai Plains are located above the tree line, and constitute the second-highest plateau in the world at 4,115 meters (14,500 feet) after the Chinese region of Tibet. The plateau lies east of Astore, south of Skardu and west of Ladakh. The area was declared as a national park in 1993. The Deosai Plains cover an area of almost 5,000 square kilometres. For over half the year (between September and May), Deosai is snow-bound and cut off from rest of Astore & Baltistan in winters. The village of Deosai lies close to Chilum chokki and is connected with the Kargil District of Ladakh in the Kashmir disputed region through an all-weather road.

References[change | change source]

  1. "Skardu". Skardu. Archived from the original on 14 May 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  2. "Khuram Aga posted chief secretary GB". TheNation. 18 November 2018. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  3. "Supreme Appellate Court GB". sacgb.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  4. Sökefeld, Martin (2015), "At the margins of Pakistan: Political relationships between Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir", in Ravi Kalia (ed.), Pakistan's Political Labyrinths: Military, Society and Terror, Routledge, p. 177, ISBN 978-1-317-40544-3: "While AJK formally possesses most of the government institutions of a state, GB now formally has the institutions of a Pakistani province. However, AJK remains a quasi-state and GB a quasi-province because neither territory enjoys the full rights and powers connected with the respective political formations. In both areas, Pakistan retains ultimate control."
  5. "UNPO: Gilgit Baltistan: Impact Of Climate Change On Biodiversity". unpo.org. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  6. "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  7. Legislative Assembly will have directly elected 24 members, besides six women and three technocrats. "Gilgit Baltistan: New Pakistani Package or Governor Rule Archived 25 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine" 3 September 2009, The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO)
  8. "Gilgit-Baltistan at a Glance, 2020" (PDF). PND GB. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 August 2021.
  9. Dani, Ahmad H; Mikhaĭlovich Masson, Vadim (2003). History of Civilizations of Central Asia. UNESCO.
  10. Nosheen, K. Ali. Seeing through the state: Representation and rule in the northern areas of Pakistan. Cornell University. p. 56.
  11. Haines, Chad. Nation, Territory, and Globalization in Pakistan: Traversing the Margins. 2013.
  12. "The Gilgit-Baltistan bungle". Thenews.jang.com.pk. 2009-09-10. Retrieved 2010-06-05.[permanent dead link]
  13. Gilgit-Baltistan package termed an eyewash Archived 2012-03-19 at the Wayback Machine, Dawn, 2009-08-30
  14. "Gilgit-Baltistan: GBUM Calls for Self-Rule Under UN Resolutions". UNPO. 2009-09-09. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  15. "Pakistan | Gilgit-Baltistan autonomy". Dawn.Com. 2009-09-09. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  16. Mumtaz Hamid Rao (2009). "Pakistan rejects Indian protest on Gilgit-Baltistan, Bunji dam". Pakistan Times. Retrieved 16 August 2013.[permanent dead link]
  17. "Gilani announces development package for Gilgit Baltistan". Associated Press of Pakistan. 29 September 2009. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  18. Manzar Shigri (2009-11-12). "Pakistan's disputed Northern Areas go to polls". Reuters. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  19. "Pakistani president signs Gilgit-Baltistan autonomy order _English_Xinhua". News.xinhuanet.com. 2009-09-07. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  20. "Gilani announces development package for Gilgit Baltistan". GEO.tv. 2009-09-29. Retrieved 2010-06-05.[permanent dead link]
  21. Nadeem (2009-09-21). "Gilgit-Baltistan: A question of autonomy". Indian Express. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
  22. "DAWN: Gilgit-Baltistan autonomy". Archives.dawn.com. 2009-09-09. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
  23. Schofield, Victoria (2000). Kashmir in Conflict: India, Pakistan, and the Unending War. I.B. Tauris. pp. 180–181. ISBN 978-1-86064-545-7.
  24. Shigri, Manzar. "Pakistan's disputed Northern Areas go to polls". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  25. "Gilgit-Baltistan Council". Gilgit-Baltistan Council. Retrieved 20 July 2013.