Gilgit Baltistan: Activist Calls For End To Pakistani Occupation: Mirza Abdul Salam, former Rawalpindi/Islamabad president of the Balawaristan (Gilgit-Baltistan) National Student Organisation (BNSO), is now studying in Sydney. He is keen to do what he can to let the world know about the plight of his people in the remote nation of Gilgit Baltistan, which has been occupied by Pakistan since 1948. Before the independence and partition of India in 1947, Gilgit Baltistan was occupied by the British-supported feudal rulers of Kashmir. Bordering Pakistan, China, Afghanistan, and India, the area is claimed by both Pakistan and India. However, Salam told Green Left Weekly the people of Gilgit-Baltistan reject both these claims. "Gilgit Baltistan has a separate national identity. Gilgit Baltistan is not Kashmiri nor Pakistani. It was an independent state occupied by the Raja of Kashmir in the 19th century." "We are proud of the thousands-of-years-old civilization of Baltistan. Our language, script, architecture, clothing, cuisine, festivals, dances and epic stories of Baltistan are unique." Salam said the United Nation allowed Pakistan to assume temporary control over Gilgit Baltistan. The UN stationed officials representing the UN Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan in both Gilgit and Skardu cities. However, this has "turned into a permanent occupation and our people have been denied our self-determination", Salam said. "This has had a bad impact on local culture, traditions, religion, language and our territory. The culture of Gilgit Baltistan [has been] largely destroyed and supplanted by the dominant Punjabi and Pathan (Pashtun) culture which came with Pakistani occupation." Read more: greenleft.org.au/node/54238
Posted on: Sun, 23 Jun 2013 00:57:58 +0000
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