Gilgit-Baltistan and Provisional Province status.

Gilgit Baltistan the land of beauty

Gilgit Baltistan has a unique geographical, cultural, traditional, political and social history on the world map. If we talk about politics here, an endless series of political ups and downs has been going on for decades. The people of G-B celebrate their independence day on November 1 every year. The point is that our forefathers liberated the region by defeating the Dogra-Raj in the worst possible way. 

And for fifteen days established a separate state called the Islamic Republic of Gilgit. Its president was Shah Rees Khan. According to history, the people of that time joined Pakistan unconditionally on November 16. One thing also remember that Gilgit-Baltistan was consist of different states of these, Hunza, State and Nagar State and at that time Gilgit were called agencies. So Baltistan became independent in 1948. Also the people of Diamer conditionally annexed Pakistan 1952.

After November 16, Pakistan appointed Sardar Alam as the political agent of Gilgit and imposed Frontier Crime Regulations (FCR) too. This is how it continued. Similarly, in the time of Ayub Khan, Gilgit-Baltistan was first considered a democracy and thus a new political system called agro-industrial program was started in the 1960s, in the same way, an institution called Democracy was formed in Baltistan in 1961 and in Gilgit 1964s. For the first time, Union Councils, Tehsil Councils and Districts Councils were formed and elected public representatives on the basis of adult suffrage. Happened however, with this process, democratic attitudes of the people began to grow, while the confidence of the people in the state institutions increased more than before.

 This process of evolution 1970, continued until the 1970. But in 1970, for the first time with political reforms, an advisory council was set up in Gilgit-Baltistan. Elections to this council were held on December 30, 1970, and a total of 21 elected members were elected. After this, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto went through a further evolutionary process in the politics of GB and changed the name of the Advisory Council to the Northern Areas Council. 

Because this region was located on the north site of Pakistan. Bhutto also ended and perished the princely government form G-B and during the same period, two new Districts were established in Gilgit-Baltistan (Ghizer and Ghancha) then between 1999 and 2000, when the federal government amended the legal Framework Order 1994 to rename the Northern Area Council as the Northern Area legislative council, for the first time, vacated post for speaker, there were three reserved seats for women.

 Likewise, this political journey continued to change somewhat until about 2009. When the tenth election was going to be held in 2009 entire GB, at that time there was a PPP government in the federal. So former President Asif Ali Zardari issued a presidential order, it was named Governance Order 2009. Through this Order for the first time in G-B, a provincial style system was given and introduced Governor and Chief Minister. But the order did not provide any constitutional protection. Just from the cradle of this order came the establishment of another body called the Gilgit-Baltistan Council, the chairman who was the prime Minister of Pakistan.

 The total number of members of the council was twelve. Six of them are nominated by the Federal and six are elected from the G-B Assembly, after the fall of the PPP government. The PML-N government was formed in the 2013 general elections. However, in G-B elections were going to be held in 2015, during at that time The Prime Minister of Pakistan Main Muhammad Nawaz sharif had visited Gilgit. He announced while addressing a public meeting that a committee was formed regarding the constitutional rights of G-B. The committee was headed by Sartaj Aziz and he submitted his reports in 2017. 

Along with aforementioned report another Order was enacted here. In the name of Governance Order 2018. Subsequently, former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar on February 17, 2019 delivered an important decision pertain G-B that we would give the constitutional rights the people of G-B soon. As we have revealed several pivotal historical factors of G-B that how the political leaders chatted with inhabitants of G-B. 

Now let me discourse the contemporary circumstance of G-B such as, the elections have held on November 15. In which the people of G-B gave the mandate to PTI and they hope that the PM Imran Khan will soon fulfill his vow.  Before the election the manifesto of every party was that we will give provisional province status. But no one can deny that either. 

The Prime minister of Pakistan Imran announced that we had decided to make G-B provisional Provence of Pakistan as well as we strongly hope until and unless the Kashmir issue is resolved, the G-B will become a provisional province. This was the long standing demand of the people of G-B the fifth provisional province of Pakistan. 

But the Government of Pakistan has been slowly giving rights to Gilgit-Baltistan. And still the provisional province that has been announced.  On the other hand the people of various regions of G-B have been facing myriad setback since a long. But in this time the constitutional status that is more important issue, there have also many other issues like education, Health, including clean drinking water. 

No one can deny the fact that a state is obliged to provide all those rights to all its citizens. That is what a citizen needs for life, if seen in the context of Gilgit-Baltistan. I would like to make this request in this regard, just declaring provincial province is not enough.

 Besides the educational problems of G-B, there is no any medical college or engineering college yet, so for there are no significant health facilities. Special attention needs to be paid to agriculture factors of G-B.

In addition, most of the people of G-B are involved in tourism and the tourist attractions, here are very popular form which local and non-local tourists can take benefit. Along with Provincial status needs special attention aforementioned all rigid issues so that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan can live in peace and happiness.