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Revolt in the Northern Areas

Revolt in the Northern Areas

Author: MK Dhar
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: January 3, 2003

Political observers in Pakistan stand aghast at the spectacle of General Musharraf unfolding his own version of democracy, governed by his own constitution and bound by the rules he himself has laid down. Needless to say, politicians who managed to get elected to the national assembly during military rule face a very difficult choice. If they cooperate with the Army and function under an authoritarian constitution, they risk losing their credibility - otherwise they risk being sent into oblivion. The future of democracy remains as clouded as it was six months ago. If the King's party, hastily put together through defections, is to continue its rule, the future of democracy in Pakistan is indeed gloomy.

Nonetheless, while General Musharraf is unfolding his grand design of "democracy under military boots" in Pakistan, he has denied even this version to the Northern Areas of Jammu & Kashmir including Gilgit-Baltistan, which are revolting against the continued suppression of their fundamental, human and democratic rights. Islamabad has been accused of committing contempt of court by not implementing the judgement of the Supreme Court directing it to grant all fundamental and legal rights to the people of Northern Areas, as guaranteed to other citizens under the 1973 constitution, which has been changed beyond recognition by General Musharraf through presidential decrees.

Gilgit-Baltistan remained a composite entity for centuries with a single identity until one Colonel Hassan Khan of the former Maharaja's army revolted at the time of the Pakistani invasion of J&K in October 1947 and made it possible for Islamabad to take it over. But, his son Wajahat Hassan Khan, chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan Thinkers' Forum alleges that the condition of his people is worse than it was during Maharaja Hari Singh's reign.

The All Parties National Alliance (APNA) of over 13 political parties and organisations of POK and Gilgit-Baltistan has expressed solidarity with the long suffering people in their just struggle to gain their fundamental rights, and have demanded transfer of full power to them. It has organised demonstration and protest meetings in places like Rawalakot, Bagh, Muzaffarabad and Rawalpindi against violence of all sorts in Kashmir and grant of political, economic and civil rights to the people of the area. It vehemently opposes Islamabad's authoritarian rule and condemns the military ruler of Pakistan and his local agents for the continued suffering of the people.

Adding insult to injury, Pakistan ceded a section of the Northern Areas to China as part of the boundary settlement and obviously in exchange of armaments, nuclear materials and technology it received from Beijing through the decades. Human rights groups, including in Pakistan, have reported complete lack of civic amenities, medical and educational facilities and communications in the area which continues to languish in poverty.

Pakistan's rulers have never trusted the people of Gilgit-Baltistan to side with them in times of war against India. They have posted police and other forces from outside to subjugate the people, who have revolted several times against Islamabad's rule. The area has been under the exclusive control of the Pakistan bureaucracy. Many times, the local people have lost their patience with the bureaucrats and violent political outbursts have taken place in 1971, 1988 and 1997 in which many people got killed in police firings. Historically, to forestall popular resistance, the administration pitted local people against each other by exploiting sectarian and ethno-linguistic differences.

As Nawaz Khan Naji, chairman of the Balawaristan National Front (BNF) points out, through a system of patronage the clients of the administration are projected as popular leaders, while the genuine political leadership of the area is crushed. According to Sher Ali of Jamaat-i-Islami, when a Pakistani bureaucrat approaches retirement, he is posted as chief secretary in the area to make money.

Stories of corruption and misgovernance in POK and Gilgit-Baltistan are well known. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has revealed that during the Kargil conflict, thousands of soldiers belonging to the Gilgit Light Infantry got killed.

The bodies of over one hundred Gilgiti soldiers left on the Indian side were never claimed by Pakistan and were buried by the Indian Army. Their relatives are crying for justice and compensation, which has been denied to them.

(NPA)
 


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