Prabhash K Dutta
The U.K. Parliament has said what Republic of Republic of India has been maxim for seventy years. That Gilgit-Baltistan belongs to Republic of Republic of India every bit an integral constituent of the province of Jammu in addition to Kashmir afterwards it legally acceded to the Union inwards 1947. Passing a displace yesterday, the U.K. Parliament said that Gilgit-Baltistan is a legal in addition to constitutional constituent of Jammu in addition to Kashmir, illegally occupied past times Islamic Republic of Pakistan since 1947. WHERE IS GILGIT-BALTISTAN?
Geographically, Gilgit-Baltistan is situated inwards the trans-Himalayan part on the northwestern corner of the Kashmir Valley, a constituent of which has been illegally occupied past times Islamic Republic of Pakistan since it invaded the part afterwards the sectionalization of India.
Gilgit-Baltistan was constituent of the formerly princely province of Jammu in addition to Kashmir (then identified every bit the province of Kashmir in addition to Jammu). Under the Maharaja of Jammu in addition to Kashmir, the princely province consisted of 5 regions.
The 5 regions were: Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit Wazarat, in addition to Gilgit Agency. With changing equations inwards the early on 20th century afterwards the formation of the USSR inwards 1917, the British took Gilgit Agency on a 60-year-lease from the Maharaja of Jammu in addition to Kashmir inwards 1935.
THE PARTITION
After the Second World War, the British, unable to sustain pressure level from India's liberty struggle, decided to sectionalization the province into Republic of Republic of India in addition to Pakistan.
It gave the princely states the correct to merge alongside either of the ii provided their territory had geographical continuity alongside the state they wished to accede to.
The British also returned the Gilgit Agency to the Maharaja of Jammu in addition to Kashmir, xv days afterwards Republic of Republic of India attained independence. Gilgit in i lawsuit to a greater extent than came nether the require dominion of the Maharaja every bit a legal constituent of his state.
After independence, both Republic of Republic of India in addition to Islamic Republic of Pakistan went for territorial consolidation. The Maharaja of Jammu in addition to Kashmir decided non to accede to either Republic of Republic of India or Pakistan. But, the province of affairs before long changed every bit Islamic Republic of Pakistan invaded the princely province inwards Oct 1947.
HOW GILGIT FELL TO PAKISTAN
Pakistan captured close a constituent of Kashmir past times agency of invasion in addition to the entire Gilgit part - by in addition to large called Gilgit-Baltistan - past times the treachery of British armed services officeholder of the Maharaja.
Under lease, Gilgit-Baltistan was protected past times a British-controlled forcefulness called the Gilgit Scouts. After the British terminated the lease, they loaned ii of their officers - Major W Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Brown in addition to Captain Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 southward Mathieson - to the Maharaja for the role of looking afterwards the defense forcefulness of Gilgit-Baltistan till an option organization was found.
But every bit Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession on Oct 31 inwards 1947, Major Brown revolted in addition to captured King's governor Brigadier Ghansara Singh. Major Brown thus informed this erstwhile British boss stationed at Peshawar close his determination to accede to Pakistan.
The determination is said to last influenced past times the British agreement of the reaction of the Arab nations afterwards the formation of Pakistan. The British did non desire to antagonise the oil-rich nations past times manifestly taking an anti-Muslim stand upward at a fourth dimension when the fears of Soviet communism dominated the West.
Major Brown defected on Nov 1 in addition to the Pakistani forces occupied Gilgit-Baltistan on Nov 4. Since then, Gilgit-Baltistan has been nether Pakistan's administrative control.
CURRENT STATUS OF GILGIT-BALTISTAN
After gaining command of the region, Islamic Republic of Pakistan renamed the Gilgit Wazarat in addition to Gilgit Agency every bit The Northern Areas of Pakistan. It is straight administered past times the federal authorities of Pakistan.
Gilgit-Baltistan has an elected Assembly alongside express powers to frame laws. The expanse is governed past times a council headed past times the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Gilgit-Baltistan has been treated every bit a classify geographical entity past times successive Pakistani governments. Gilgit-Baltistan does non honor whatever refer inwards Pakistan's Constitution.
But things seem to bring changed alongside the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Islamic Republic of Pakistan has already gifted a part (about 5,000-8,000 sq km) of Gilgit-Baltistan inwards 1963, a twelvemonth afterwards the Indo-China war.
However, Islamic Republic of Pakistan has been trying to alter the demography of Gilgit-Baltistan for decades. In 1970s, erstwhile Islamic Republic of Pakistan Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had abrogated the State Subject Rule to permit Sunni Muslims to settle downwards inwards the Shia-dominated Gilgit-Baltistan. This has worked inwards Pakistan's favour.
Recently, a commission headed past times Sartaj Aziz, Foreign Affairs Advisor to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, recommended that Gilgit-Baltistan last officially recognised every bit the 5th province of Islamic Republic of Pakistan inwards improver to Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan in addition to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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