India turns its back on people of Gilgit Baltistan, Author: pioneer
Despite repeated assertions that all of J&K is an integral part of India, New Delhi has chosen to ignore atrocities Pakistan commits in areas occupied by it, says KG Suresh
http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/item/51262-india-turns-its-back-on-people-of-gilgit-baltistan.html
Armed gunmen dressed in Army fatigues killed 18 Shias from Gilgit-Baltistan on the Karakoram Highway in the Kohistan area of Khyber-Pukhtoonkhwa province of Pakistan while the Shias were returning in a convoy from a pilgrimage to Iran on February 27.
According to the police, the gunmen flagged down four buses, boarded them and asked the passengers whether they were Shia or Sunni. The assailants then asked the Shias to step out of the buses and checked their identity cards before pumping bullets into them. All those killed were men while the injured included women and children. Ironically, this report, involving the lives of people from Gilgit-Baltistan, which India claims to be an integral part of its sovereign territory and is now currently under the occupation of Pakistan, was published on the ‘international’ page of one of India’s leading national newspapers. Of course, many others did not bother to publish the news at all.
The publication of the news item involving the massacre of de jure Indian citizens on the international page as against the front page hype given to a racial attack in Australia or United States against ‘mainstream’ Indians not only reflects an editorial oversight but also the gradual disappearance of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir from the collective consciousness of the nation as a whole.
Unlike in Pakistan, where alleged human rights violations and so-called excesses by the security forces in ‘Indian-controlled’ Jammu and Kashmir dominate the political and nationalist discourse, our discussions have narrowed down to the support to militancy in Jammu and Kashmir from across the border. It is as if the political leadership and intelligentsia of this country have accepted the de facto status of Jammu and Kashmir and the Line of Control as de jure. This is despite the fact that on February 22, 1994, both Houses of Parliament unanimously passed a resolution asking Pakistan to “vacate the areas of the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir, which they have occupied through aggression”.
In an unprecedented move, the resolution also expressed “regret and concern at the pitiable conditions and violations of human rights and denial of democratic freedoms of the people in those areas of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which are under the illegal occupation of Pakistan.”
Thus, India has been reiterating time and again that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is an integral part of its territory and that the people of that region are constitutionally and legally the citizens of India. Yet, in our quest for that ever elusive and idealist fraternal ties with Islamabad, we tend to forget or even ignore certain harsh facts staring us. The total area under illegal Pakistani occupation, including the so-called ‘Azad Kashmir’ and Gilgit-Baltistan, is a mammoth 78,114 sq km. The area of Jammu and Kashmir under Chinese occupation is 42,685 sq km and area ceded to China by Pakistan is 5,130 sq km.
Thus, the total area under illegal occupation of Pakistan and China in Jammu and Kashmir is 1,20,799 sq km while India is left with just 1,01,437 sq kms. The situation and the condition of the people in PoK and Northern Areas was highlighted at an international conference organised by the New Delhi based think tank India Foundation in the national capital recently.
Attending the conference were Mumtaz Khan, a native of PoK, who fled to Canada more than two decades ago because of alleged persecution and Senge Hasnan Sering of Gilgit, who currently lives in Washington. Mumtaz Khan runs the International Centre for Peace and Democracy in Toronto while Sering heads the Institute of Gilgit-Baltistan Studies in Washington. Both are well-known political activists in North America and Europe. Taking a dig at Pakistan, Mr Khan said the country never wanted to resolve the issue.
“The control of so-called ‘Azad Kashmir’ lies in the hands of the Kashmir Council run by Pakistan. The Muzaffarabad Assembly has been rendered useless,” Mumtaz Khan said, adding that people in PoK are living in fear and there is no freedom of expression. “At least we hear some news from the Indian side of Kashmir, but from our side there is complete blackout. PoK has been turned into a cantonment and nobody can escape from the eyes of the security agencies.”
Mr Sering argued that Pakistan can do nothing for Gilgit-Baltistan as constitutionally it is not a part of the country. “It (Pakistan) just exploits our resources and wants to continue with its political hegemony. Even the latest empowerment package is a farce as the power centre continues to be in Pakistan,” Mr Sering said.
“It has given us a pseudo provincial status but all our matters are decided by Gilgit-Baltistan Council that is controlled by the Pakistan establishment,” said Mr Sering.
Speaking about Chinese intervention in the region, Mumtaz Khan said, “Chinese companies are doing a lot of work in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PaK). It needs to be taken seriously as it has its impact on the changing power politics in the region.”
A New York Times article by Seig Harrison states that at least 7,000-11,000 Chinese troops have been stationed in Gilgit-Baltistan region of PoK. A delegation from PoK at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis in 2009 expressed their suspicion that Sunni majority Pakistan may exterminate the Shia majority in Gilgit-Baltistan to silence all opposition to their policies.
As for development indicators, the Northern Areas have no university or professional colleges. Adult literacy is 14 per cent for males and 3.5 per cent for women. There are no local dailies, local radio or television stations. There is just one doctor for 6,000 people. There have been widespread resentment and protests against the Pakistani establishment in the region over the years, which has evinced little interest in India so far.
The Gilgit-Baltistan United Action Forum for Self-Rule has been demanding the right to self-rule while the Balawaristan National Front has been urging the United Nations and International Court of Justice to book former President Pervez Musharraf and other Pakistani Generals as “war criminals” for genocide carried out by them in the Northern Areas. People have also been opposing tooth and nail the construction of mega dams, expressways, railways and oil and gas pipelines which may damage the ecosystem and ensue in environmental ramifications for the future generations of Gilgit-Baltistan.
In January 2010, Jammu and Kashmir National Awami Party leaders demanded that the Pakistani state must pull out its troops from populated areas of PoK forthwith. Unfortunately, New Delhi has chosen to remain a silent spectator to these atrocities and protests.
It is, therefore, no wonder that the people of PoK and also activists from the region are justifiably frustrated with New Delhi’s stance. Charging New Delhi with having the memory of a goldfish which lasts only seven seconds, the PoK activists want New Delhi to insist on Pakistan to resume traffic and trade across the Line of Control to benefit the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
They also want reservation of seats in Indian higher education institutions such as IITs and IIMs. Even the migrants from PoK, mostly Hindus, who shifted to India post-partition and the Pakistan-sponsored tribal attack, have no political status in India including Jammu and Kashmir. India has not bothered to even fill the seats reserved for PoK in Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly with willing volunteers from the region or the migrants.
“India needs to be more proactive and practical rather than confining itself to issuing statements,” says Mr Sering.
And, to begin with, let the Indian media start reporting events from PoK and Northern Areas at least on the National pages, if not the front pages.
The author is a Delhi-based journalist.
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Gilgit Baltistan: Neither ‘In’ Pakistan Nor ‘Of’ It? – Analysis, By Priyanka Singh
Gilgit Baltistan: Neither ‘In’ Pakistan Nor ‘Of’ It? – Analysis, By Priyanka Singh
Written by: IPCS March 6, 2012
http://www.eurasiareview.com/06032012-gilgit-baltistan-neither-in-pakistan-nor-of-it-analysis/
While strategic analysts in India are debating the extent and consequences of the Chinese presence in Gilgit Baltistan (Pakistan occupied Kashmir – PoK), a legal battle is being waged across the Line of Control (LoC), which is relevant to India’s claim on PoK. A petition recently filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan challenges the authority and jurisdiction of the Government of Pakistan on Gilgit Baltistan. The petition has been filed by Dr. Ghulam Abbas, a resident of Gilgit and chairman of the Gilgit Baltistan National Movement.
Location of Gilgit-Baltistan (red), without Siachen Glacier in Pakistan
The current crisis began after the appointment of a retired Judge, who is not a native of Gilgit Baltistan, as the Chief Justice of the Gilgit Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court. This was the second such instance where the local population had objected to the appointment of a judge to this position. The petitioner demanded that Article 60(5, 6) and 60(8) of the Self Governance Order be declared null and void. These specific clauses invest absolute authority in the Chairman of the Gilgit Baltistan Council, i.e. the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and virtually the Government of Pakistan, to make such appointments.
The Supreme Court not only admitted the petition, but also in very clear terms asked the Attorney General whether it was possible for the President of Pakistan (under Article 248 of the Pakistani constitution) to issue such political orders for Gilgit Baltistan. To this the Attorney General replied that since Gilgit Baltistan does not have a direct representation in the federal government, the President issued the order on behalf of the government.
Gilgit Baltistan (till 2009 it was referred to as the Northern Areas by the Government of Pakistan) does not find mention in the Constitution of Pakistan and it is neither independent nor has a provincial status. This huge territory, part of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, has been under Pakistan’s control since 1947. It is currently governed by the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order introduced by the Pakistan government in August 2009. The package was introduced mainly to assuage the prevailing feeling of neglect among the people of the region, and made nominal changes in the political system such as restoring the original nomenclature of Gilgit Baltistan, which was one of the long standing demands of the local population. Currently, the region has an elected assembly and a council headed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. This council wields all the powers and controls the resources and revenue accrued from the region. Added to this, the government of the region is under the overall control of the federal ministry of the Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan (KAGB).
It was in this context that the petition was filed and the Supreme Court bench asked the federal government and the Ministry of KAGB to provide a report on the political status of Gilgit Baltistan within a period of 15 days.
The petition has unleashed an animated debate in the political circles in Gilgit Baltistan. The issue dominated the proceedings of the region’s Legislative Assembly in the following days. Legislators articulated their views by putting forward two viable options: either the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order be given some kind of a legal cover, or the region be given the status of the so-called AJK (Azad Jammu & Kashmir) which is ruled under a separate constitution. Some expressed their apprehension that the Empowerment and Self-Governance package order was provisional, and until it is legalised it may be repealed anytime to suit the whims and fancies of successive governments in Islamabad. Some went to the extent of calling Gilgit Baltistan a fake province with no constitutional endorsement. A basic point which emerged from the discussion was that till the time Gilgit Baltistan remains ‘disputed’, it cannot be assimilated as an additional province of Pakistan.
The Law Minster of Gilgit Baltistan, Wazir Shakil, tried to downplay the whole issue by stating that since the order was a presidential order, it could not be abolished. The Chief Minister, Syed Mehdi Shah, however tried to build consensus by urging political allies to insist upon the federal leadership to take up the matter in Islamabad’s parliament pursuing permanent status for Gilgit Baltistan.
This political deadlock is not a case in isolation. The people of Gilgit Baltistan are disillusioned with the way Pakistan is administering the region and the local leadership has rejected the political set-up provided under the empowerment package. This order, they feel, has failed to meet their political demands and address the socio economic problems. Earlier, the State Subject Rule was abolished by former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to facilitate outsiders acquiring land and assets in the region. Later, the ethnic composition of the region was tampered with by the Zia-ul-Haq-sponsored anti-Shia forces; the number of Shias in this otherwise predominantly Shia region was reduced drastically. The attack on Shia pilgrims in Kohistan on February 28, 2012, while they were on their way back to Gilgit Baltistan, is a pointer to the continuing threats the Shias face even today. In this particular case, at least 16 people were forced to disembark from the bus and were brutally shot to death.
Political problems in Gilgit Baltistan have existed for long, and today the situation is further complicated by growing external interference from China and innumerable instances of resource-drain organised by Islamabad. People in Gilgit Baltistan have expressed their resentment over the increasing Chinese involvement in the region and view it as an unwelcome intrusion. The Gilgit Baltistan diaspora has, in recent years, played an active role in creating awareness on these issues via the electronic media, dedicated websites and blogs, etc.
What appears to be of interest here is the claim by the people of Gilgit Baltistan that the region does not belong to Pakistan. If Pakistan concedes that Gilgit Baltistan is a disputed territory, it will have to give it a separate status like AJK. This is the moot point emerging from the ensuing political debate in the entire PoK. This is in congruence with an earlier statement issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) terming the territory as “disputed” in response to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs of India statement objecting to the building of the Diamer Bhasha dam in PoK in 2006. India has for long being insisting that Chinese involvement in Gilgit Baltistan is unwarranted since the territory is disputed, to which the Chinese (encouraged by Pakistan) pay little heed. Hence, the current debate in PoK, in a way, validates India’s position and claim on PoK.
A fresh debate in India needs to be initiated from this point. India’s position that Gilgit Baltistan is disputed stands corroborated by developments in PoK. Gilgit Baltistan and the so called AJK are parts of the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. After a span of more than six decades since the princely state of J&K acceded to India, this Indian state has evolved with its political processes progressing well. This is so because India has allowed political freedom in J&K. In comparison, Pakistan has failed to address the aspirations of the people under subjugation in PoK leading to frequent political outbursts as being witnessed now. These outbursts are only likely to grow given Pakistan’s indifference towards PoK as a whole in combination with its internal security dynamics and external preoccupations.
Originally published by Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (www.idsa.in) athttp://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/GilgitBaltistanNeitherinPakistanNorof%E2%80%99it_psingh_060212
About the author:IPCS
IPCS (Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies) conducts independent research on conventional and non-conventional security issues in the region and shares its findings with policy makers and the public. It provides a forum for discussion with the strategic community on strategic issues and strives to explore alternatives. Moreover, it works towards building capacity among young scholars for greater refinement of their analyses of South Asian security.
IPCSMarch 6, 2012Analysis2 Comments
Written by: IPCS March 6, 2012
http://www.eurasiareview.com/06032012-gilgit-baltistan-neither-in-pakistan-nor-of-it-analysis/
While strategic analysts in India are debating the extent and consequences of the Chinese presence in Gilgit Baltistan (Pakistan occupied Kashmir – PoK), a legal battle is being waged across the Line of Control (LoC), which is relevant to India’s claim on PoK. A petition recently filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan challenges the authority and jurisdiction of the Government of Pakistan on Gilgit Baltistan. The petition has been filed by Dr. Ghulam Abbas, a resident of Gilgit and chairman of the Gilgit Baltistan National Movement.
Location of Gilgit-Baltistan (red), without Siachen Glacier in Pakistan
The current crisis began after the appointment of a retired Judge, who is not a native of Gilgit Baltistan, as the Chief Justice of the Gilgit Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court. This was the second such instance where the local population had objected to the appointment of a judge to this position. The petitioner demanded that Article 60(5, 6) and 60(8) of the Self Governance Order be declared null and void. These specific clauses invest absolute authority in the Chairman of the Gilgit Baltistan Council, i.e. the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and virtually the Government of Pakistan, to make such appointments.
The Supreme Court not only admitted the petition, but also in very clear terms asked the Attorney General whether it was possible for the President of Pakistan (under Article 248 of the Pakistani constitution) to issue such political orders for Gilgit Baltistan. To this the Attorney General replied that since Gilgit Baltistan does not have a direct representation in the federal government, the President issued the order on behalf of the government.
Gilgit Baltistan (till 2009 it was referred to as the Northern Areas by the Government of Pakistan) does not find mention in the Constitution of Pakistan and it is neither independent nor has a provincial status. This huge territory, part of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, has been under Pakistan’s control since 1947. It is currently governed by the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order introduced by the Pakistan government in August 2009. The package was introduced mainly to assuage the prevailing feeling of neglect among the people of the region, and made nominal changes in the political system such as restoring the original nomenclature of Gilgit Baltistan, which was one of the long standing demands of the local population. Currently, the region has an elected assembly and a council headed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. This council wields all the powers and controls the resources and revenue accrued from the region. Added to this, the government of the region is under the overall control of the federal ministry of the Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan (KAGB).
It was in this context that the petition was filed and the Supreme Court bench asked the federal government and the Ministry of KAGB to provide a report on the political status of Gilgit Baltistan within a period of 15 days.
The petition has unleashed an animated debate in the political circles in Gilgit Baltistan. The issue dominated the proceedings of the region’s Legislative Assembly in the following days. Legislators articulated their views by putting forward two viable options: either the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order be given some kind of a legal cover, or the region be given the status of the so-called AJK (Azad Jammu & Kashmir) which is ruled under a separate constitution. Some expressed their apprehension that the Empowerment and Self-Governance package order was provisional, and until it is legalised it may be repealed anytime to suit the whims and fancies of successive governments in Islamabad. Some went to the extent of calling Gilgit Baltistan a fake province with no constitutional endorsement. A basic point which emerged from the discussion was that till the time Gilgit Baltistan remains ‘disputed’, it cannot be assimilated as an additional province of Pakistan.
The Law Minster of Gilgit Baltistan, Wazir Shakil, tried to downplay the whole issue by stating that since the order was a presidential order, it could not be abolished. The Chief Minister, Syed Mehdi Shah, however tried to build consensus by urging political allies to insist upon the federal leadership to take up the matter in Islamabad’s parliament pursuing permanent status for Gilgit Baltistan.
This political deadlock is not a case in isolation. The people of Gilgit Baltistan are disillusioned with the way Pakistan is administering the region and the local leadership has rejected the political set-up provided under the empowerment package. This order, they feel, has failed to meet their political demands and address the socio economic problems. Earlier, the State Subject Rule was abolished by former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to facilitate outsiders acquiring land and assets in the region. Later, the ethnic composition of the region was tampered with by the Zia-ul-Haq-sponsored anti-Shia forces; the number of Shias in this otherwise predominantly Shia region was reduced drastically. The attack on Shia pilgrims in Kohistan on February 28, 2012, while they were on their way back to Gilgit Baltistan, is a pointer to the continuing threats the Shias face even today. In this particular case, at least 16 people were forced to disembark from the bus and were brutally shot to death.
Political problems in Gilgit Baltistan have existed for long, and today the situation is further complicated by growing external interference from China and innumerable instances of resource-drain organised by Islamabad. People in Gilgit Baltistan have expressed their resentment over the increasing Chinese involvement in the region and view it as an unwelcome intrusion. The Gilgit Baltistan diaspora has, in recent years, played an active role in creating awareness on these issues via the electronic media, dedicated websites and blogs, etc.
What appears to be of interest here is the claim by the people of Gilgit Baltistan that the region does not belong to Pakistan. If Pakistan concedes that Gilgit Baltistan is a disputed territory, it will have to give it a separate status like AJK. This is the moot point emerging from the ensuing political debate in the entire PoK. This is in congruence with an earlier statement issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) terming the territory as “disputed” in response to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs of India statement objecting to the building of the Diamer Bhasha dam in PoK in 2006. India has for long being insisting that Chinese involvement in Gilgit Baltistan is unwarranted since the territory is disputed, to which the Chinese (encouraged by Pakistan) pay little heed. Hence, the current debate in PoK, in a way, validates India’s position and claim on PoK.
A fresh debate in India needs to be initiated from this point. India’s position that Gilgit Baltistan is disputed stands corroborated by developments in PoK. Gilgit Baltistan and the so called AJK are parts of the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. After a span of more than six decades since the princely state of J&K acceded to India, this Indian state has evolved with its political processes progressing well. This is so because India has allowed political freedom in J&K. In comparison, Pakistan has failed to address the aspirations of the people under subjugation in PoK leading to frequent political outbursts as being witnessed now. These outbursts are only likely to grow given Pakistan’s indifference towards PoK as a whole in combination with its internal security dynamics and external preoccupations.
Originally published by Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (www.idsa.in) athttp://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/GilgitBaltistanNeitherinPakistanNorof%E2%80%99it_psingh_060212
About the author:IPCS
IPCS (Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies) conducts independent research on conventional and non-conventional security issues in the region and shares its findings with policy makers and the public. It provides a forum for discussion with the strategic community on strategic issues and strives to explore alternatives. Moreover, it works towards building capacity among young scholars for greater refinement of their analyses of South Asian security.
IPCSMarch 6, 2012Analysis2 Comments
Monday, 19 March 2012
Chinese Military Taking Over Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan Considering Proposal to Lease the Disputed Region to China for 50 Years By: Tufail Ahmad* -- M
Chinese Military Taking Over Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan Considering Proposal to Lease the Disputed Region to China for 50 Years By: Tufail Ahmad* -- MEMRI
Friday, 10 February 2012 00:00 | | |
Analyses http://www.gilgitbaltistan.us/Analyses/chinese-military-taking-over-gilgit-baltistan-pakistan-considering-proposal-to-lease-the-disputed-region-to-china-for-50-years-by-tufail-ahmad-memri.html
Introduction
According to a report published by an Urdu-language newspaper, Pakistan is considering a proposal to lease the strategic region of Gilgit Baltistan to China. The Pakistani move is aimed at fortifying its strategic relations with China amid the irreparable rupture in U.S.-Pakistan relations over the past year. Gilgit Baltistan, previously known as the Northern Areas, shares the international border with China.
Like Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan – which had been part of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir during the British rule – is not formally part of Pakistan and is not under the jurisdiction of Pakistani constitution. There are no representatives from Gilgit Baltistan in the Pakistani parliament or federal government institutions.
The report – titled "Pakistan's Deteriorating Situation, Strained Relations with America: Deliberation on Leasing Gilgit Baltistan to China for 50 years" – was published in the Urdu-language daily Roznama Bang-e-Sahar, a newspaper distributed in Gilgit Baltistan on December 13, 2011, less than three weeks after the November 26, 2011 NATO raid on a Pakistani border post that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
It should be noted here that the May 2, 2011 Abbottabad operation, in which the U.S. killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, was seen in Pakistan as violation of its sovereignty. Following the unilateral U.S. raid, Pakistani government and military leaders are implementing a series of economic and military policies to bolster Pakistan's strategic relationship with China.
Roznama Bang-e-Sahar: "Deliberations have Begun [on a Proposal] to Hand Over Gilgit Baltistan to China on a 50-Year Lease; In the Next Stage, China … [Will] Deploy Its Troops There"
The Roznama Bang-e-Sahar report stated: "In the backdrop of the deteriorating situation in Pakistan and strained relations with America, deliberations have begun [on a proposal] to hand over Gilgit Baltistan to China on a 50-year lease. A Chinese think tank has also given the green light for this move."[1]
The report, which originated with an Islamabad dateline, surmised that international powers – i.e. the U.S. and allies – want to foment terror attacks in Gilgit Baltistan in order to watch China by sending a counter-terrorism force there.
It stated: "According to extremely reliable sources, amid the growing conflict in the Pakistani tribal areas, NATO forces' operations, and the conflict in relations with America, international powers are planning to turn Gilgit Baltistan into a base of terrorism in order to keep an eye on China [possibly by being present in Gilgit Baltistan on the pretext of carrying out anti-terror operations]."[2]
The Urdu daily added: "Smelling the [emerging] situation and in order to protect Gilgit Baltistan from international conspiracies, the think tanks of China and Pakistan have begun discussions to hand over this region to the control of China on lease. In the first stage of this plan, China will formulate a strategy for development projects and in the name of working on them will gradually take over the control of this region. In the next stage, China will take over Gilgit Baltistan under its total control for 50 years and deploy its troops there."[3]
The Roznama Bang-e-Sahar report acquires importance in view of the five-day visit of China by Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani on January 4-8, 2012. During a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in Beijing, General Kayani said that development of China-Pakistan strategic partnership is the "cornerstone of the two countries' policies."[4] In his remarks, the Chinese premier said that "the Chinese government and the PLA [People's Liberation Army] would continue to strengthen defense cooperation between the two countries and more frequent military to military exchanges."[5]
Kashmiri Researcher on Chinese Troops in Gilgit Baltistan: "There is a Big Chinese Presence in Gilgit Baltistan; Apparently They are Involved in the Construction of Many Mega Projects, But the Presence of the Chinese Army and Their Designs to Take Control of This Region is Worrying"
Map courtesy: drshabirchoudhry.blogspot.com
The report about the move to hand over Gilgit Baltistan to China comes amid earlier reports that Chinese soldiers are already present in Gilgit Baltistan. In August 2010, a report in The New York Times revealed the presence of "an estimated 7,000 to 11,000 soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army" in Gilgit Baltistan.[6] Indian Army generals have also warned in recent months that the Chinese troops are present not only in Gilgit Baltistan but also inside the Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, which is known as Azad (free) Jammu & Kashmir.
In April 2011, Lt.-Gen. K. T. Parnaik of Indian Army warned that the Chinese troops are not only stationed in Gilgit Baltistan but they are also present inside Pakistani Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC) which divides Jammu & Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Speaking at a seminar, Lt.-Gen. Parnaik stated: "We hear many people today who are concerned about the complicity of the Chinese if there were to be hostilities between India and Pakistan. Not only because they are in the neighborhood but the fact that they are actually stationed and present on the LoC."[7]
In October 2011, Indian Army Chief General V. K. Singh warned that 4,000 Chinese troops are present in Pakistani Kashmir, stating: "There are certain construction working teams, a large number is available. Around 3,000 to 4,000 of these people are present including certain people for security purposes. There are certain engineer troops."[8]
The report in The New York Times regarding the presence of Chinese troops in Gilgit Baltistan was also confirmed by Kashmiri researcher and author Dr. Shabir Choudhry, who led a team of researchers to Gilgit Baltistan in October 2010. Following his research in Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistani Kashmir, Dr. Shabir Choudhry delivered a series of lectures in the UK, addressing the implications of China's increasing presence in Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistani Kashmir, and warning of the likelihood that the region could emerge as a battleground for military confrontation between China and Pakistan on one side and India and the United States on the other. Following are excerpts from his two lectures:[9]
"Some people … claim that only Indian-administered Kashmir is disputed. In our view that is a distortion of the facts, as the Kashmir dispute is political in nature, and the entire State of Jammu & Kashmir, which includes Jammu, Valley, Laddakh, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit Baltistan is disputed.
"Hitherto there were only three parties to the Kashmir dispute, namely the people of Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan, and India. Over the recent past some quarters are working hard to make the Republic of China a party to the dispute. To me this is a very dangerous move which will complicate the dispute further, and could prove to be disastrous for the region, especially for areas of Gilgit Baltistan and northern parts of Pakistan….
"The Sino-India war of 1962 resulted in Chinese occupation of Kashmiri territory of Aksai Chin. This war brought Pakistan and China closer to each other; and to strengthen that friendship, Pakistan gave away around 2200 sq. miles of Jammu & Kashmir territory from Gilgit Baltistan to China.…"
"China wants to ensure that they have a greater say in the matters of Gilgit Baltistan, and even in matters of Pakistan. They want to ensure that they not only have access but control of the route to Gwadar [the Chinese-built port on Baluchistan cost], where they have invested billions of dollars.
"There is a big Chinese presence in Gilgit Baltistan. Apparently they are involved in the construction of many mega projects, but the presence of the Chinese army and their designs to take control of this region is worrying to many. Not only are they opening Chinese banks there and building infrastructure by investing billions of dollars, they are secretly and assertively taking control of the region. When we visited the region… [in October 2010] we saw many Chinese there, which included army men. In the past, they used to come for development work, and lived in temporary shelters, and went back after completing their tasks; but now they are here to stay and have built concrete accommodations…."
Pakistani Daily: "Pakistan Wants China to Build a Naval Base at… Gwadar in Baluchistan; Beijing is More Interested in Setting Up Military Bases Either in FATA [Federally Administered Tribal Areas] or the Northern Areas [Gilgit Baltistan]"
In October 2011, renowned Pakistani journalist and author Amir Mir revealed that Pakistan wants China to build a naval base in the Pakistani coastal town of Gwadar but the Chinese are more interested in building military bases in Pakistan's northern areas, which include Gilgit Baltistan. The apparent reason for setting up Chinese military bases in Pakistan's northern areas is ostensibly meant to counter anti-China militants, but these moves are part of long-term Chinese strategic moves to undercut the U.S. and Indian influence in the region.
Excerpts from Amir Mir's report, which was published in The News, a leading Pakistan newspaper, are given below:[10]
"While Pakistan wants China to build a naval base at its southwestern seaport of Gwadar in Baluchistan, Beijing is more interested in setting up military bases either in FATA [Federally Administered Tribal Areas] or the Northern Areas [Gilgit Baltistan], which are closer to the troubled Chinese province of Xinjiang.
"According to well-informed diplomatic circles in Islamabad, the Chinese desire is meant to contain the growing terrorist activities of the Chinese rebels belonging to the Al-Qaeda-linked East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). The Chinese Muslim rebels want the creation of an independent Islamic state and are allegedly being trained in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
"Beijing's wish for a military presence in Pakistan was discussed at length by the political and military leadership of both the countries in recent months, as China has become ever more concerned about the Pakistani tribal areas as a haven for radicals.
"Beijing believes that similar to the American military presence in Pakistan, a Chinese presence would enable its military to effectively counter the Muslim separatists who have been operating from the tribal areas of Pakistan for almost a decade and carrying out cross-border terrorist activities in the trouble-stricken Xinjiang Province…."
China, Pakistan to Unveil Plan for Joint Military Management of Gilgit Baltistan in June 2012
The Pakistani and Chinese militaries are moving in the direction of a joint military management of Gilgit Baltistan. The two militaries will cooperate under a specific plan designated by Pakistan as the Pak-China Strategic Program for Gilgit Baltistan.
As part of this plan, officials from Pakistan's Northern Light Infantry (NLI) and People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China would "undergo joint trainings and exchange of expertise."[11] According to a Pakistani newspaper, the Pak-China Strategic Program for Gilgit Baltistan will come into force in June 2012.[12]
The decision to launch the Pak-China Strategic Program for Gilgit Baltistan was probably taken during Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani's visit to China in January 2012. After his return from China, General Kayani chaired a meeting of Corps Commanders' Conference and Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) of the military at the General Headquarters (GHQ) of Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi on January 12, 2012. The officers discussed various issues, including the fears of military coup in Pakistan as expressed by the Pakistani civilian leaders.
However, according to a report in The Nation daily, "The military brass was purportedly unanimous in deciding not to restart military cooperation with the U.S. unless new terms of engagement came into force and to 'strongly' recommending to the government not to resume NATO … supplies [through Pakistan]. In this context, General Kayani purportedly briefed the Corp Commanders and PSOs about his recent visit to China. The army chief was said to have discussed new proposed defense pacts on border liaison and surveillance with China…."[13]
Mindful of the Disputed Nature of Gilgit Baltistan, China Asks Pakistani Officials to Clarify the International Political Status of Gilgit Baltistan
A copy of the November 18, 2011 report in Roznama Bang-e-Sahar
China is aware that Gilgit Baltistan is disputed politically and diplomatically and Pakistan's sovereignty does not extend to this region. The Pakistani constitution and the Supreme Court of Pakistan, or other federal government institutions, do not have jurisdiction in Gilgit Baltistan, a strategic region through which China intends to establish trading routes to Iran and the Middle Eastern countries.
Gilgit Baltistan was an ethnically different part of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir, which was ruled by a Hindu king during the British colonial era. However, after the British left India in 1947, Jammu & Kashmir has been divided by a Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan. India claims the entire Jammu & Kashmir state, including Gilgit Baltistan, as its integral part but has avoided a serious claim to the control of the region. This is mainly because India has been confronted by Pakistan-sponsored militancy in its part of Kashmir.
Aware of the fact that China's growing military presence in Gilgit Baltistan will trigger international concern in coming months, the Chinese government has asked the government of Pakistan it clarify the Pakistani position on Gilgit Baltistan at international forums, according to a report in the Roznama Bang-e-Sahar.
In a report dated November 18, 2011, the Urdu daily observed: "It has been learnt through various political circles in Gilgit Baltistan that the neighboring nation People's Republic of China has started taking deep interest in the current political situation in Gilgit. The Chinese officials have asked the senior officials [of Pakistan] that they clarify the political situation [i.e. diplomatic international status] of Gilgit Baltistan.
"Under the current status, China faces serious difficulties in working on different development projects in various areas of Gilgit Baltistan. China has been already working on an expansion plan of the Karakorum Highway. In addition, a contract has been awarded to China to restore the Karakorum Highway…. China already had reservations about the unclear political situation of Gilgit Baltistan…"[14]
In December 2011, the editors of Roznama Bang-e-Sahar wrote an editorial, expressing concern over the Pakistani plan to hand over Gilgit Baltistan to China. The editorial, titled "The Plan to Hand Over Gilgit Baltistan to China," observed:[15]
"In order to stop the increasing lawlessness in the [Pakistani] tribal region [along the border with Afghanistan] and [to stop] the aggressive and expansionist objectives of the United States and NATO from materializing under the cover of the international forces, the government of China and the Pakistani government have decided to accept… the proposal jointly sent from their think tanks [to lease Gilgit Baltistan to China for 50 years]. Initially, China will cement its footprint in the region through its civil workers and engineers under the cover of various development projects. And it will create the justification for its presence under the name of reconstruction and development and restoration of basic infrastructure.
"And by gradually increasing its strategic supplies, Chinese troops will be sent to the region to protect their engineers and installations under constructions. And ultimately, as per the plan, the Chinese troops will have the reason for their presence in the region for a long period.... The basic objective behind deploying the Chinese troops is to stop, repel, and fight any kind of strategic aggression by India at the behest and instigation of the United States and NATO…."
"If the report [regarding leasing Gilgit Baltistan to China] is true…, then it will not be wrong to think that the people of Gilgit Baltistan will probably not get geographical and political independence for next several hundred years; and their freedom and political rights will remain limited to dreams…."
* Tufail Ahmad is Director of MEMRI's South Asia Studies Project (www.memri.org/sasp)
Endnotes:
[1] Roznama Bang-e-Sahar (Pakistan), December 13, 2011.
[2] Roznama Bang-e-Sahar (Pakistan), December 13, 2011.
[3] Roznama Bang-e-Sahar (Pakistan), December 13, 2011.
[4] www.dawn.com (Pakistan), January 6, 2012. All reports quoted in this dispatch were lightly edited for clarity.
[5] www.dawn.com (Pakistan), January 6, 2012.
[6] www.nytimes.com (U.S.), August 26, 2010.
[7] www.timesofindia.com (India), April 6, 2011.
[8] www.timesofindia.com (India), October 5, 2011.
[9] See MEMRI Special Dispatch Series Report No. 3772, "Kashmiri Writer Examines the Strategic Implications of China's Military Presence in Kashmir Region", April 19, 2011. http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5212.htm
[10] The News (Pakistan), October 26, 2011.
[11] The Nation (Pakistan), January 13, 2012.
[12] The Nation (Pakistan), January 13, 2012.
[13] The Nation (Pakistan), January 13, 2012.
[14] Roznama Bang-e-Sahar (Pakistan), November 18, 2011.
[15] Roznama Bang-e-Sahar (Pakistan), December 14, 2011
Courtesy: http://www.memri.org/report/en/print6076.htm
Friday, 10 February 2012 00:00 | | |
Analyses http://www.gilgitbaltistan.us/Analyses/chinese-military-taking-over-gilgit-baltistan-pakistan-considering-proposal-to-lease-the-disputed-region-to-china-for-50-years-by-tufail-ahmad-memri.html
Introduction
According to a report published by an Urdu-language newspaper, Pakistan is considering a proposal to lease the strategic region of Gilgit Baltistan to China. The Pakistani move is aimed at fortifying its strategic relations with China amid the irreparable rupture in U.S.-Pakistan relations over the past year. Gilgit Baltistan, previously known as the Northern Areas, shares the international border with China.
Like Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan – which had been part of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir during the British rule – is not formally part of Pakistan and is not under the jurisdiction of Pakistani constitution. There are no representatives from Gilgit Baltistan in the Pakistani parliament or federal government institutions.
The report – titled "Pakistan's Deteriorating Situation, Strained Relations with America: Deliberation on Leasing Gilgit Baltistan to China for 50 years" – was published in the Urdu-language daily Roznama Bang-e-Sahar, a newspaper distributed in Gilgit Baltistan on December 13, 2011, less than three weeks after the November 26, 2011 NATO raid on a Pakistani border post that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
It should be noted here that the May 2, 2011 Abbottabad operation, in which the U.S. killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, was seen in Pakistan as violation of its sovereignty. Following the unilateral U.S. raid, Pakistani government and military leaders are implementing a series of economic and military policies to bolster Pakistan's strategic relationship with China.
Roznama Bang-e-Sahar: "Deliberations have Begun [on a Proposal] to Hand Over Gilgit Baltistan to China on a 50-Year Lease; In the Next Stage, China … [Will] Deploy Its Troops There"
The Roznama Bang-e-Sahar report stated: "In the backdrop of the deteriorating situation in Pakistan and strained relations with America, deliberations have begun [on a proposal] to hand over Gilgit Baltistan to China on a 50-year lease. A Chinese think tank has also given the green light for this move."[1]
The report, which originated with an Islamabad dateline, surmised that international powers – i.e. the U.S. and allies – want to foment terror attacks in Gilgit Baltistan in order to watch China by sending a counter-terrorism force there.
It stated: "According to extremely reliable sources, amid the growing conflict in the Pakistani tribal areas, NATO forces' operations, and the conflict in relations with America, international powers are planning to turn Gilgit Baltistan into a base of terrorism in order to keep an eye on China [possibly by being present in Gilgit Baltistan on the pretext of carrying out anti-terror operations]."[2]
The Urdu daily added: "Smelling the [emerging] situation and in order to protect Gilgit Baltistan from international conspiracies, the think tanks of China and Pakistan have begun discussions to hand over this region to the control of China on lease. In the first stage of this plan, China will formulate a strategy for development projects and in the name of working on them will gradually take over the control of this region. In the next stage, China will take over Gilgit Baltistan under its total control for 50 years and deploy its troops there."[3]
The Roznama Bang-e-Sahar report acquires importance in view of the five-day visit of China by Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani on January 4-8, 2012. During a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in Beijing, General Kayani said that development of China-Pakistan strategic partnership is the "cornerstone of the two countries' policies."[4] In his remarks, the Chinese premier said that "the Chinese government and the PLA [People's Liberation Army] would continue to strengthen defense cooperation between the two countries and more frequent military to military exchanges."[5]
Kashmiri Researcher on Chinese Troops in Gilgit Baltistan: "There is a Big Chinese Presence in Gilgit Baltistan; Apparently They are Involved in the Construction of Many Mega Projects, But the Presence of the Chinese Army and Their Designs to Take Control of This Region is Worrying"
Map courtesy: drshabirchoudhry.blogspot.com
The report about the move to hand over Gilgit Baltistan to China comes amid earlier reports that Chinese soldiers are already present in Gilgit Baltistan. In August 2010, a report in The New York Times revealed the presence of "an estimated 7,000 to 11,000 soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army" in Gilgit Baltistan.[6] Indian Army generals have also warned in recent months that the Chinese troops are present not only in Gilgit Baltistan but also inside the Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, which is known as Azad (free) Jammu & Kashmir.
In April 2011, Lt.-Gen. K. T. Parnaik of Indian Army warned that the Chinese troops are not only stationed in Gilgit Baltistan but they are also present inside Pakistani Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC) which divides Jammu & Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Speaking at a seminar, Lt.-Gen. Parnaik stated: "We hear many people today who are concerned about the complicity of the Chinese if there were to be hostilities between India and Pakistan. Not only because they are in the neighborhood but the fact that they are actually stationed and present on the LoC."[7]
In October 2011, Indian Army Chief General V. K. Singh warned that 4,000 Chinese troops are present in Pakistani Kashmir, stating: "There are certain construction working teams, a large number is available. Around 3,000 to 4,000 of these people are present including certain people for security purposes. There are certain engineer troops."[8]
The report in The New York Times regarding the presence of Chinese troops in Gilgit Baltistan was also confirmed by Kashmiri researcher and author Dr. Shabir Choudhry, who led a team of researchers to Gilgit Baltistan in October 2010. Following his research in Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistani Kashmir, Dr. Shabir Choudhry delivered a series of lectures in the UK, addressing the implications of China's increasing presence in Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistani Kashmir, and warning of the likelihood that the region could emerge as a battleground for military confrontation between China and Pakistan on one side and India and the United States on the other. Following are excerpts from his two lectures:[9]
"Some people … claim that only Indian-administered Kashmir is disputed. In our view that is a distortion of the facts, as the Kashmir dispute is political in nature, and the entire State of Jammu & Kashmir, which includes Jammu, Valley, Laddakh, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit Baltistan is disputed.
"Hitherto there were only three parties to the Kashmir dispute, namely the people of Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan, and India. Over the recent past some quarters are working hard to make the Republic of China a party to the dispute. To me this is a very dangerous move which will complicate the dispute further, and could prove to be disastrous for the region, especially for areas of Gilgit Baltistan and northern parts of Pakistan….
"The Sino-India war of 1962 resulted in Chinese occupation of Kashmiri territory of Aksai Chin. This war brought Pakistan and China closer to each other; and to strengthen that friendship, Pakistan gave away around 2200 sq. miles of Jammu & Kashmir territory from Gilgit Baltistan to China.…"
"China wants to ensure that they have a greater say in the matters of Gilgit Baltistan, and even in matters of Pakistan. They want to ensure that they not only have access but control of the route to Gwadar [the Chinese-built port on Baluchistan cost], where they have invested billions of dollars.
"There is a big Chinese presence in Gilgit Baltistan. Apparently they are involved in the construction of many mega projects, but the presence of the Chinese army and their designs to take control of this region is worrying to many. Not only are they opening Chinese banks there and building infrastructure by investing billions of dollars, they are secretly and assertively taking control of the region. When we visited the region… [in October 2010] we saw many Chinese there, which included army men. In the past, they used to come for development work, and lived in temporary shelters, and went back after completing their tasks; but now they are here to stay and have built concrete accommodations…."
Pakistani Daily: "Pakistan Wants China to Build a Naval Base at… Gwadar in Baluchistan; Beijing is More Interested in Setting Up Military Bases Either in FATA [Federally Administered Tribal Areas] or the Northern Areas [Gilgit Baltistan]"
In October 2011, renowned Pakistani journalist and author Amir Mir revealed that Pakistan wants China to build a naval base in the Pakistani coastal town of Gwadar but the Chinese are more interested in building military bases in Pakistan's northern areas, which include Gilgit Baltistan. The apparent reason for setting up Chinese military bases in Pakistan's northern areas is ostensibly meant to counter anti-China militants, but these moves are part of long-term Chinese strategic moves to undercut the U.S. and Indian influence in the region.
Excerpts from Amir Mir's report, which was published in The News, a leading Pakistan newspaper, are given below:[10]
"While Pakistan wants China to build a naval base at its southwestern seaport of Gwadar in Baluchistan, Beijing is more interested in setting up military bases either in FATA [Federally Administered Tribal Areas] or the Northern Areas [Gilgit Baltistan], which are closer to the troubled Chinese province of Xinjiang.
"According to well-informed diplomatic circles in Islamabad, the Chinese desire is meant to contain the growing terrorist activities of the Chinese rebels belonging to the Al-Qaeda-linked East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). The Chinese Muslim rebels want the creation of an independent Islamic state and are allegedly being trained in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
"Beijing's wish for a military presence in Pakistan was discussed at length by the political and military leadership of both the countries in recent months, as China has become ever more concerned about the Pakistani tribal areas as a haven for radicals.
"Beijing believes that similar to the American military presence in Pakistan, a Chinese presence would enable its military to effectively counter the Muslim separatists who have been operating from the tribal areas of Pakistan for almost a decade and carrying out cross-border terrorist activities in the trouble-stricken Xinjiang Province…."
China, Pakistan to Unveil Plan for Joint Military Management of Gilgit Baltistan in June 2012
The Pakistani and Chinese militaries are moving in the direction of a joint military management of Gilgit Baltistan. The two militaries will cooperate under a specific plan designated by Pakistan as the Pak-China Strategic Program for Gilgit Baltistan.
As part of this plan, officials from Pakistan's Northern Light Infantry (NLI) and People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China would "undergo joint trainings and exchange of expertise."[11] According to a Pakistani newspaper, the Pak-China Strategic Program for Gilgit Baltistan will come into force in June 2012.[12]
The decision to launch the Pak-China Strategic Program for Gilgit Baltistan was probably taken during Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani's visit to China in January 2012. After his return from China, General Kayani chaired a meeting of Corps Commanders' Conference and Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) of the military at the General Headquarters (GHQ) of Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi on January 12, 2012. The officers discussed various issues, including the fears of military coup in Pakistan as expressed by the Pakistani civilian leaders.
However, according to a report in The Nation daily, "The military brass was purportedly unanimous in deciding not to restart military cooperation with the U.S. unless new terms of engagement came into force and to 'strongly' recommending to the government not to resume NATO … supplies [through Pakistan]. In this context, General Kayani purportedly briefed the Corp Commanders and PSOs about his recent visit to China. The army chief was said to have discussed new proposed defense pacts on border liaison and surveillance with China…."[13]
Mindful of the Disputed Nature of Gilgit Baltistan, China Asks Pakistani Officials to Clarify the International Political Status of Gilgit Baltistan
A copy of the November 18, 2011 report in Roznama Bang-e-Sahar
China is aware that Gilgit Baltistan is disputed politically and diplomatically and Pakistan's sovereignty does not extend to this region. The Pakistani constitution and the Supreme Court of Pakistan, or other federal government institutions, do not have jurisdiction in Gilgit Baltistan, a strategic region through which China intends to establish trading routes to Iran and the Middle Eastern countries.
Gilgit Baltistan was an ethnically different part of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir, which was ruled by a Hindu king during the British colonial era. However, after the British left India in 1947, Jammu & Kashmir has been divided by a Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan. India claims the entire Jammu & Kashmir state, including Gilgit Baltistan, as its integral part but has avoided a serious claim to the control of the region. This is mainly because India has been confronted by Pakistan-sponsored militancy in its part of Kashmir.
Aware of the fact that China's growing military presence in Gilgit Baltistan will trigger international concern in coming months, the Chinese government has asked the government of Pakistan it clarify the Pakistani position on Gilgit Baltistan at international forums, according to a report in the Roznama Bang-e-Sahar.
In a report dated November 18, 2011, the Urdu daily observed: "It has been learnt through various political circles in Gilgit Baltistan that the neighboring nation People's Republic of China has started taking deep interest in the current political situation in Gilgit. The Chinese officials have asked the senior officials [of Pakistan] that they clarify the political situation [i.e. diplomatic international status] of Gilgit Baltistan.
"Under the current status, China faces serious difficulties in working on different development projects in various areas of Gilgit Baltistan. China has been already working on an expansion plan of the Karakorum Highway. In addition, a contract has been awarded to China to restore the Karakorum Highway…. China already had reservations about the unclear political situation of Gilgit Baltistan…"[14]
In December 2011, the editors of Roznama Bang-e-Sahar wrote an editorial, expressing concern over the Pakistani plan to hand over Gilgit Baltistan to China. The editorial, titled "The Plan to Hand Over Gilgit Baltistan to China," observed:[15]
"In order to stop the increasing lawlessness in the [Pakistani] tribal region [along the border with Afghanistan] and [to stop] the aggressive and expansionist objectives of the United States and NATO from materializing under the cover of the international forces, the government of China and the Pakistani government have decided to accept… the proposal jointly sent from their think tanks [to lease Gilgit Baltistan to China for 50 years]. Initially, China will cement its footprint in the region through its civil workers and engineers under the cover of various development projects. And it will create the justification for its presence under the name of reconstruction and development and restoration of basic infrastructure.
"And by gradually increasing its strategic supplies, Chinese troops will be sent to the region to protect their engineers and installations under constructions. And ultimately, as per the plan, the Chinese troops will have the reason for their presence in the region for a long period.... The basic objective behind deploying the Chinese troops is to stop, repel, and fight any kind of strategic aggression by India at the behest and instigation of the United States and NATO…."
"If the report [regarding leasing Gilgit Baltistan to China] is true…, then it will not be wrong to think that the people of Gilgit Baltistan will probably not get geographical and political independence for next several hundred years; and their freedom and political rights will remain limited to dreams…."
* Tufail Ahmad is Director of MEMRI's South Asia Studies Project (www.memri.org/sasp)
Endnotes:
[1] Roznama Bang-e-Sahar (Pakistan), December 13, 2011.
[2] Roznama Bang-e-Sahar (Pakistan), December 13, 2011.
[3] Roznama Bang-e-Sahar (Pakistan), December 13, 2011.
[4] www.dawn.com (Pakistan), January 6, 2012. All reports quoted in this dispatch were lightly edited for clarity.
[5] www.dawn.com (Pakistan), January 6, 2012.
[6] www.nytimes.com (U.S.), August 26, 2010.
[7] www.timesofindia.com (India), April 6, 2011.
[8] www.timesofindia.com (India), October 5, 2011.
[9] See MEMRI Special Dispatch Series Report No. 3772, "Kashmiri Writer Examines the Strategic Implications of China's Military Presence in Kashmir Region", April 19, 2011. http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5212.htm
[10] The News (Pakistan), October 26, 2011.
[11] The Nation (Pakistan), January 13, 2012.
[12] The Nation (Pakistan), January 13, 2012.
[13] The Nation (Pakistan), January 13, 2012.
[14] Roznama Bang-e-Sahar (Pakistan), November 18, 2011.
[15] Roznama Bang-e-Sahar (Pakistan), December 14, 2011
Courtesy: http://www.memri.org/report/en/print6076.htm
Saturday, 17 March 2012
Mubashir Luqman slaps on Fozia Wahab face in debate with Mahreen Khan.
Mubashir Luqman slaps on Fozia Wahab face in debate with Mahreen Khan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSN9I81zDpQ&feature=share
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSN9I81zDpQ&feature=share
Monday, 12 March 2012
Human Rights situation in Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistani Administrated Kashmir, Presentation by Dr Shabir Choudhry
Human Rights situation in Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistani Administrated Kashmir, Presentation by Dr Shabir Choudhry
Seminar arranged by International Committee for the Respect and Application of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights during 19th session of the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, 12 March 2012, 16:00h – 18:00h Room XXIV (24), Palais des Nations, Geneva.
Mr Chairman, friends and colleagues aslam o alaykam and good afternoon
Few days ago, in one informal meeting of some concerned citizens of former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir in Geneva, it was suggested that we should call Gilgit Baltistan as ‘Occupied Gilgit Baltistan’ and should call Azad Kashmir as ‘Pakistani Occupied Kashmir’ to explain illegal occupation of these areas by Pakistan and their disputed nature.
However, to true Kashmiri nationalists these areas are part of the former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir, and in our opinion the entire State is disputed; and human rights abuses take place on both sides of the divide.
Although topic of this seminar only allows us to deal with the situation on the Pakistani side of the divide; however it would be pertinent to point out that despite India’s claim to be the biggest democracy in the world they have also failed to honour their obligations and pledges. They have also failed to protect human life, dignity and honour of the people; and are responsible for human rights abuses.
Mr Chairman
We know legally and constitutionally no territory of Jammu and Kashmir State is part of Pakistan; and before we look at human rights situation there let us briefly look at human rights situation in territories that are legally part of Pakistan. This will show us what value Pakistani statecraft attaches to human rights and dignity of fellow human beings.
1. Dr Akmal Hussain, in his article ‘East Pakistan all over again?’, wrote: ‘According to the latest HRCP report on Balochistan, “the security forces in Balochistan do not consider themselves answerable or accountable to the political government or judiciary…The military action in Balochistan, involves extra judicial arrest, torture and killings.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/342048/east-pakistan-all-over-again/
2. Human Rights Commission of Pakistan claims that it has ‘a list of 249 suspected extra-judicial killings from July 30, 2009, to March 22, 2010, and said most of the bodies were found in Swat. It said independent journalists and locals widely believed security forces were behind the killings.
http://www.hrcp-web.org/shownews.asp?id=45
3. Pervez Hoodbhoy, Professor of Qaaid e Azam University Islamabad, in his article, ‘Is Rohrabacher wrong on Balochistan, wrote: 'Pakistan has also long criticised India — and justly so — for its human rights abuses. But more people are dying in Balochistan today than in Kashmir. For all their brutality against stone-throwing Kashmiri boys, the Indians have not yet used helicopter gunships and fighter jets against Kashmiris. Pakistan, on the other hand, uses airpower as a matter of course in Balochistan and Fata. (http://tribune.com.pk/story/342053/is-rohrabacher-wrong-on-balochistan/)
4. About four years ago a Pakistani Court ordered release of 11 people from Adiala Prison Rawalpindi who were arrested under suspicion of committing violence or supporting anti government policies. The Court could not find any solid evidence against them, and ordered their release. As they got out of the prison they were picked up again by the secret agencies; and it took four years of hard work of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, civil society and human rights organisations to locate only seven of them. The other four died in torture cells.
Mr Chairman
All the above relate to the situation of human rights in Pakistan, where there is a vibrant local and international media, Human rights organisations, Federal and Provincial Assemblies, independents judiciary and assertive civil society. Just imagine what will be the true situation of a region which is not legally part of Pakistan; but is run and controlled by Pakistani secret agencies, especially when this unfortunate region has no vibrant local or international media, has no human rights organisations, has no independent judiciary and has no active civil society.
Let us now see what Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has to say about situation in POK. HRCP in its report entitled ‘State of Human Rights in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’, which was published in Pakistani English newspaper ‘Daily Times’ on 14 October 2004, stated, and I quote:
‘The fundamental rights of the residents of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) are being violated at different levels and its autonomy is threatened by the contentious surveillance of intelligence agencies and intervention of the Pakistani government…. Fundamental freedoms such as freedom of movement, expression, assembly and association are often infringed in AJK.’
On16 December 2009 a Kashmiri Kabeer Shah was abducted from Athmaqaam because he was promoting ideas which were not appreciated by secret agencies of Pakistan. Prior to that in November 2009, four Kashmiri youths were abducted by ISI Lt Col Hamza from Muzaffarabad. The detainees were taken to a Pakistani city of Peshawer where they were severely tortured and their families harassed and intimidated. These people were only released after a massive campaign for their release in Muzaffarabad and close coordination and support of Asian Human Rights Commission and other human rights groups.
http://drshabirchoudhry.blogspot.com/2009/12/another-kashmiri-abducted-by-pakistani.html
Neelam Valley and Athmaqaam are the worst areas for human rights abuse by Pakistani agencies and forces of occupation. These areas are not easily accessible and are divided by Line Of Control. Also these areas are the focal point for infiltration of militants across the LOC, therefore, very sensitive as far as the Pakistani agencies are concerned.
Pakistani secret agencies, especially the ISI has little regard for the Pakistani law, but as far as Pakistani Administered Kashmir is concerned they are law themselves, as they do not come under jurisdiction of the local law. Local administration even President and Prime Minister of Pakistani Administered Kashmir have no control over them. IG police of Pakistani Administered Kashmir is always a Pakistani and has no control over the activities of the secret agencies.
When Dr Rizwan son of Mohammed Sarwar resident of Muzaffarabad was kidnapped by officials of ISI on 7th May 2011 from his house; and his dead body was discovered on 23 May, Afzaal Suleria, President of Kashmir National Party- Azad Kashmir Chapter said:
‘Another innocent Azad Kashmiri has become a victim of the ISI. We people are constantly harassed and victimised because we oppose the Pakistani occupation of our motherland.’
He further said, ‘Those people who still think Pakistan and their agencies are our friends and brothers need to wake up and understand that Pakistani rule here is imperial in nature and we need to oppose their oppressive and colonial rule. Our struggle for independence is peaceful and yet we are subject to this kind of oppression and killings.’
Afzaal Suleria further said: ‘All those who believe in human rights and rule of law must condemn this act of butchery and protest against it. Despite this cruelty and victimisation, our struggle for united and independent Jammu and Kashmir will continue. People of Jammu and Kashmir living on the Indian side of the divide should understand that we also face serious problems, as we are also occupied and victims of the Pakistani oppression. Our struggle is peaceful, but Pakistani secret agencies are forcing people to take up arms against them that the ISI can crush them by calling them terrorists.’
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/forwarded-news/AHRC-FPR-027-2011
According to BBC report of Thursday, 28 July 2005, a case was registered against 3 Pakistani soldiers belonging to Mujahid Battalion who allegedly raped a divorced Kashmiri woman in her early 30s from the village of Palri, 62 miles north of the capital of Pakistan Administered Kashmir, Muzaffarabad. She went to collect firewood and was picked up by these soldiers.
The woman's brother-in-law says military authorities were informed of the incident. But instead of helping they put pressure on his family not to pursue the case. The brother-in-law sent an application on behalf of all the villagers to the Deputy Commissioner of the Neelum Valley on 21 July, urging a case be registered. "When our protectors start plundering our honour, who are we supposed to turn to?" he asked in the application.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4725157.stm
Mr Chairman
I have provided some quotations to prove what goes on in Pakistan; and why situation of human rights in Pakistani Occupied Kashmir and Occupied Gilgit Baltistan could be much worse than in Pakistan, because of lack of vibrant media, human rights organisations and near absence of civil society. Above all, total lack of control of local administration over army and secret agencies of Pakistan. These rulers of Pakistani Occupied Kashmir are no more than puppets and they are installed there to provide support to the colonial rule of Islamabad.
Mr Chairman
I request the NGO community and the UN to pay special attention to the plight of the people in this unfortunate region; and if possible, set up a commission to investigate issues related to human rights that people of this region could feel that the UN Human Rights Charter is also related to their problems.
Dr Shabir Choudhry, Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs, London
Email: Drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com
Web: http://k4kashmir.com/ Blog: http://www.drshabirchoudhry.blogspot.com/
Seminar arranged by International Committee for the Respect and Application of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights during 19th session of the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, 12 March 2012, 16:00h – 18:00h Room XXIV (24), Palais des Nations, Geneva.
Mr Chairman, friends and colleagues aslam o alaykam and good afternoon
Few days ago, in one informal meeting of some concerned citizens of former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir in Geneva, it was suggested that we should call Gilgit Baltistan as ‘Occupied Gilgit Baltistan’ and should call Azad Kashmir as ‘Pakistani Occupied Kashmir’ to explain illegal occupation of these areas by Pakistan and their disputed nature.
However, to true Kashmiri nationalists these areas are part of the former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir, and in our opinion the entire State is disputed; and human rights abuses take place on both sides of the divide.
Although topic of this seminar only allows us to deal with the situation on the Pakistani side of the divide; however it would be pertinent to point out that despite India’s claim to be the biggest democracy in the world they have also failed to honour their obligations and pledges. They have also failed to protect human life, dignity and honour of the people; and are responsible for human rights abuses.
Mr Chairman
We know legally and constitutionally no territory of Jammu and Kashmir State is part of Pakistan; and before we look at human rights situation there let us briefly look at human rights situation in territories that are legally part of Pakistan. This will show us what value Pakistani statecraft attaches to human rights and dignity of fellow human beings.
1. Dr Akmal Hussain, in his article ‘East Pakistan all over again?’, wrote: ‘According to the latest HRCP report on Balochistan, “the security forces in Balochistan do not consider themselves answerable or accountable to the political government or judiciary…The military action in Balochistan, involves extra judicial arrest, torture and killings.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/342048/east-pakistan-all-over-again/
2. Human Rights Commission of Pakistan claims that it has ‘a list of 249 suspected extra-judicial killings from July 30, 2009, to March 22, 2010, and said most of the bodies were found in Swat. It said independent journalists and locals widely believed security forces were behind the killings.
http://www.hrcp-web.org/shownews.asp?id=45
3. Pervez Hoodbhoy, Professor of Qaaid e Azam University Islamabad, in his article, ‘Is Rohrabacher wrong on Balochistan, wrote: 'Pakistan has also long criticised India — and justly so — for its human rights abuses. But more people are dying in Balochistan today than in Kashmir. For all their brutality against stone-throwing Kashmiri boys, the Indians have not yet used helicopter gunships and fighter jets against Kashmiris. Pakistan, on the other hand, uses airpower as a matter of course in Balochistan and Fata. (http://tribune.com.pk/story/342053/is-rohrabacher-wrong-on-balochistan/)
4. About four years ago a Pakistani Court ordered release of 11 people from Adiala Prison Rawalpindi who were arrested under suspicion of committing violence or supporting anti government policies. The Court could not find any solid evidence against them, and ordered their release. As they got out of the prison they were picked up again by the secret agencies; and it took four years of hard work of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, civil society and human rights organisations to locate only seven of them. The other four died in torture cells.
Mr Chairman
All the above relate to the situation of human rights in Pakistan, where there is a vibrant local and international media, Human rights organisations, Federal and Provincial Assemblies, independents judiciary and assertive civil society. Just imagine what will be the true situation of a region which is not legally part of Pakistan; but is run and controlled by Pakistani secret agencies, especially when this unfortunate region has no vibrant local or international media, has no human rights organisations, has no independent judiciary and has no active civil society.
Let us now see what Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has to say about situation in POK. HRCP in its report entitled ‘State of Human Rights in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’, which was published in Pakistani English newspaper ‘Daily Times’ on 14 October 2004, stated, and I quote:
‘The fundamental rights of the residents of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) are being violated at different levels and its autonomy is threatened by the contentious surveillance of intelligence agencies and intervention of the Pakistani government…. Fundamental freedoms such as freedom of movement, expression, assembly and association are often infringed in AJK.’
On16 December 2009 a Kashmiri Kabeer Shah was abducted from Athmaqaam because he was promoting ideas which were not appreciated by secret agencies of Pakistan. Prior to that in November 2009, four Kashmiri youths were abducted by ISI Lt Col Hamza from Muzaffarabad. The detainees were taken to a Pakistani city of Peshawer where they were severely tortured and their families harassed and intimidated. These people were only released after a massive campaign for their release in Muzaffarabad and close coordination and support of Asian Human Rights Commission and other human rights groups.
http://drshabirchoudhry.blogspot.com/2009/12/another-kashmiri-abducted-by-pakistani.html
Neelam Valley and Athmaqaam are the worst areas for human rights abuse by Pakistani agencies and forces of occupation. These areas are not easily accessible and are divided by Line Of Control. Also these areas are the focal point for infiltration of militants across the LOC, therefore, very sensitive as far as the Pakistani agencies are concerned.
Pakistani secret agencies, especially the ISI has little regard for the Pakistani law, but as far as Pakistani Administered Kashmir is concerned they are law themselves, as they do not come under jurisdiction of the local law. Local administration even President and Prime Minister of Pakistani Administered Kashmir have no control over them. IG police of Pakistani Administered Kashmir is always a Pakistani and has no control over the activities of the secret agencies.
When Dr Rizwan son of Mohammed Sarwar resident of Muzaffarabad was kidnapped by officials of ISI on 7th May 2011 from his house; and his dead body was discovered on 23 May, Afzaal Suleria, President of Kashmir National Party- Azad Kashmir Chapter said:
‘Another innocent Azad Kashmiri has become a victim of the ISI. We people are constantly harassed and victimised because we oppose the Pakistani occupation of our motherland.’
He further said, ‘Those people who still think Pakistan and their agencies are our friends and brothers need to wake up and understand that Pakistani rule here is imperial in nature and we need to oppose their oppressive and colonial rule. Our struggle for independence is peaceful and yet we are subject to this kind of oppression and killings.’
Afzaal Suleria further said: ‘All those who believe in human rights and rule of law must condemn this act of butchery and protest against it. Despite this cruelty and victimisation, our struggle for united and independent Jammu and Kashmir will continue. People of Jammu and Kashmir living on the Indian side of the divide should understand that we also face serious problems, as we are also occupied and victims of the Pakistani oppression. Our struggle is peaceful, but Pakistani secret agencies are forcing people to take up arms against them that the ISI can crush them by calling them terrorists.’
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/forwarded-news/AHRC-FPR-027-2011
According to BBC report of Thursday, 28 July 2005, a case was registered against 3 Pakistani soldiers belonging to Mujahid Battalion who allegedly raped a divorced Kashmiri woman in her early 30s from the village of Palri, 62 miles north of the capital of Pakistan Administered Kashmir, Muzaffarabad. She went to collect firewood and was picked up by these soldiers.
The woman's brother-in-law says military authorities were informed of the incident. But instead of helping they put pressure on his family not to pursue the case. The brother-in-law sent an application on behalf of all the villagers to the Deputy Commissioner of the Neelum Valley on 21 July, urging a case be registered. "When our protectors start plundering our honour, who are we supposed to turn to?" he asked in the application.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4725157.stm
Mr Chairman
I have provided some quotations to prove what goes on in Pakistan; and why situation of human rights in Pakistani Occupied Kashmir and Occupied Gilgit Baltistan could be much worse than in Pakistan, because of lack of vibrant media, human rights organisations and near absence of civil society. Above all, total lack of control of local administration over army and secret agencies of Pakistan. These rulers of Pakistani Occupied Kashmir are no more than puppets and they are installed there to provide support to the colonial rule of Islamabad.
Mr Chairman
I request the NGO community and the UN to pay special attention to the plight of the people in this unfortunate region; and if possible, set up a commission to investigate issues related to human rights that people of this region could feel that the UN Human Rights Charter is also related to their problems.
Dr Shabir Choudhry, Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs, London
Email: Drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com
Web: http://k4kashmir.com/ Blog: http://www.drshabirchoudhry.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Leaving for Geneva
Leaving for Geneva
Dear friends and colleagues aslamo alaykam and adab
Tomorrow I am also leaving for Geneva to attend 19th Session of the UN Human Rights Council. Abbas But and I will stay there till 16th March. We will interact with NGOs from other countries which promote various aspects of the human rights.
Apart from taking part in interactive dialogue in various seminars, we will address two seminars. One seminar is arranged by Saradar Shaukat Kashmir, Chairman of UKPNP, which will be held on 12th March.
We are arranging the other seminar; and it will be held on 15th March, title of which is: ‘Terrorism and its impact on poverty and economy’.
Friends can still contact me on mobile, or by email and face book messages. Once I reach there I will be able to give a landline telephone as well.
Dr Shabir Choudhry
Dear friends and colleagues aslamo alaykam and adab
Tomorrow I am also leaving for Geneva to attend 19th Session of the UN Human Rights Council. Abbas But and I will stay there till 16th March. We will interact with NGOs from other countries which promote various aspects of the human rights.
Apart from taking part in interactive dialogue in various seminars, we will address two seminars. One seminar is arranged by Saradar Shaukat Kashmir, Chairman of UKPNP, which will be held on 12th March.
We are arranging the other seminar; and it will be held on 15th March, title of which is: ‘Terrorism and its impact on poverty and economy’.
Friends can still contact me on mobile, or by email and face book messages. Once I reach there I will be able to give a landline telephone as well.
Dr Shabir Choudhry
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Deteriorating situation in Gilgit Baltistan, Abdul Hamid Khan, Chairman, Chairman Balawaristan National Front.
Deteriorating situation in Gilgit Baltistan, Abdul Hamid Khan, Chairman, Chairman Balawaristan National Front.
balawaristan@gmail.com
The situation in Gilgit Baltistan is deteriorated, when about 20 Pakistani Army uniform terrorist killed 19 innocent people in Harban Kohistan Diamar border on 28th Feb. 2012 after carefully checking their ID Cards issued by Pakistan. These ID Cards issued by government of Pakistan do not give us rights but death. This is Z.A. Bhutto's gift started in 1971 to divide the people on Shia Sooni line, when the pople had broken Jail to free their leaders. I think both PPP government and Military is involved , so the people are not united. Three main reasons for PPP to divide the people,
1. The people of Yasen had started serious protest against the increase of wheat which was supported by both Shia and Sooni religious leaders of Gilgit.
2. The so-called Zardari empowerment package of 2009 was exposed in Supreme Court of Pakistan.
3. Both Shia religious leader Agha Rahat Hussain and Sonni leader Qazi Nisar came close to unity. These unity trends by the people was not acceptable to Bhuttos PPP. Now some hardliner parties and pro-agencies people are blaming USA, Israel and India, which is their old strategy to give safe passage to their own terrorists. Now its the duty of Pakistan Army to arrest and present these terrorists if they do not belong to Army. If USA, Israel or India is involved, what some people say, then why the government and agencies do not ask them to present any proof, so the foreign killers are caught. But we are well aware that Pakistani occupation regime has been providing safe passage to those culprits who kill any Gilgiti or Balti.
This time also we don't expect any punishment to the terrorists, because some agency people have started to blame this killing to foreign agencies, so the real culprits are freed to kill more and more people with full impunity. But we demand that the killers should be exposed to the Gilgit Baltistan people in front of the eye witnesse and then let them go, because we don’t expect any punishment, because of our experience since 1971.
balawaristan@gmail.com
The situation in Gilgit Baltistan is deteriorated, when about 20 Pakistani Army uniform terrorist killed 19 innocent people in Harban Kohistan Diamar border on 28th Feb. 2012 after carefully checking their ID Cards issued by Pakistan. These ID Cards issued by government of Pakistan do not give us rights but death. This is Z.A. Bhutto's gift started in 1971 to divide the people on Shia Sooni line, when the pople had broken Jail to free their leaders. I think both PPP government and Military is involved , so the people are not united. Three main reasons for PPP to divide the people,
1. The people of Yasen had started serious protest against the increase of wheat which was supported by both Shia and Sooni religious leaders of Gilgit.
2. The so-called Zardari empowerment package of 2009 was exposed in Supreme Court of Pakistan.
3. Both Shia religious leader Agha Rahat Hussain and Sonni leader Qazi Nisar came close to unity. These unity trends by the people was not acceptable to Bhuttos PPP. Now some hardliner parties and pro-agencies people are blaming USA, Israel and India, which is their old strategy to give safe passage to their own terrorists. Now its the duty of Pakistan Army to arrest and present these terrorists if they do not belong to Army. If USA, Israel or India is involved, what some people say, then why the government and agencies do not ask them to present any proof, so the foreign killers are caught. But we are well aware that Pakistani occupation regime has been providing safe passage to those culprits who kill any Gilgiti or Balti.
This time also we don't expect any punishment to the terrorists, because some agency people have started to blame this killing to foreign agencies, so the real culprits are freed to kill more and more people with full impunity. But we demand that the killers should be exposed to the Gilgit Baltistan people in front of the eye witnesse and then let them go, because we don’t expect any punishment, because of our experience since 1971.
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