Tag: Gilgit-Baltistan

Soldiers without ranks
2Nov By Stuart WhiteNo Comments
Asia, Business, Conflict, Opinion

Soldiers without ranks

Young Muslims trained in arms and light ammunition are sought after pawns in the markets of conflict and turmoil. Wearing the masks of Islam, they are out to create mayhem and massacre. In most cases, theses forces are out to challenge the State and its well-structured armies and police forces. In old times, such confrontations were a part of the game between rulers and their opponents.However, in modern times, the rules of the game have changed. Generally, the confrontations take place according to rules of war, as well as according to the international law approved by international community. But in this case, the engagement and employment of pawns is either overlooked or ignored. This strategic game was being played in pre-colonial and even colonial era as a state craft.The rulers who u...
Read More
Pakistan conspiring demographic change in PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan: Report
18Sep By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Pakistan conspiring demographic change in PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan: Report

In the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Gilgit Baltistan, the population of minority Shia population is declining rapidly, clearly highlighting Pakistan’s attempts to change the demographics through the targeted genocides of minorities, and settling down of Punjabi elites and Army men in the region.Pakistan has already been successful to cleanse the Sikh population from PoJK and now, Chinese workers and army men are settling down in these areas in the guise of working for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).A report titled “Human Lives Matter: A Comparative Study and Analysis of Human Development and Human Rights in J&K and PoJK/G-B” by Law and Society Alliance, shows the status of human development and human rights conditions in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Pa
Read More
Gilgit-Baltistan will grow if it physically integrates with Ladakh: Senge Sering
31Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Gilgit-Baltistan will grow if it physically integrates with Ladakh: Senge Sering

The region under Pakistani occupation will grow significantly if it gets integrated with Union Territory of Ladakh, according to a political activist from Gilgit Baltistan, Senge H. Sering.“We firmly believe that we were the part of Jammu and Kashmir. In 1947, Maharaja (Hari Singh) was our legal heir, the whole region (of Jammu & Kashmir) belonged to him and he acceded to India following a legal path and it was not some kind of abrupt or arbitrary decision as it was all done as per the British law”, said Senge, director of the Washington-based Institute of Gilgit Baltistan Studies.“Till August 5 (2019), we were an integral part of Jammu & Kashmir but after the amendment was done in Article 370 and the state was bifurcated into two union territories, so, now we are the part of Ladak
Read More
What made ‘Pakistan’s Independence Day’ the most controversial day for its people
31Aug By Stuart WhiteNo Comments
Business, Opinion

What made ‘Pakistan’s Independence Day’ the most controversial day for its people

Certain nationalist groups in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit Baltistan have announced that they will not celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day on August 14. Instead, they will be observing a Black Day.Since righteous voices are usually met with brutal repression and it is too risky to have such observance in Pakistan, it has been decided that the discontent be demonstrated through a series of car rallies across Europe, America and Canada highlighting forced disappearance, extrajudicial killings and ongoing persecution and manhunt of nationalists and political as well as human right activists in Pakistan.The decision to mark August 14 as a Black Day comes as a shock to many as it is in stark contrast to the perceived mindset of people who had previously claimed to be bound toget
Read More
Article 370 abrogation is brightest light of hope for PoK, Gilgit Baltistan: Activist
22Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Article 370 abrogation is brightest light of hope for PoK, Gilgit Baltistan: Activist

The revocation of Article 370 offered the brightest light of hope for people in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit Baltistan ever since the occupation of their land by the Pakistani military in 1947, said Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza, a political activist hailing from POK region.“It has broken the chain of violence which started on October 22, 1947 and continued right up to 2019. Cross border infiltration, violence against Kashmiri Pandits, target killings, drug smuggling under the guise of independence movement all came to an abrupt halt on August 5, 2019 with the abrogation of Article 370,” activist Mirza said.He believes that there is a significant decline in violence across the Valley, no protests on July 13 which was falsely hailed as a Kashmir Martyrs Day, the pending bloodshed that P
Read More
Five Pakistan policemen killed in midnight raid in Gilgit-Baltistan
15Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Five Pakistan policemen killed in midnight raid in Gilgit-Baltistan

In an exchange of fire with suspects during a midnight raid, five Pakistani police officers were killed in Diamar's Chilas district in Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan area on July 28.Another five officers from the Gilgit counter-terrorism department sustained injuries. The incident happened in the Chilas area when suspects opened fire on the officers.The investigation into the incident is underway. Caretaker Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister Mir Afzal Khan said that "the suspects were involved in trading weapons, apart from terrorist activities," according to a Pakistani channel.
Read More
China strengthening military base in Gilgit Baltistan by constructing mega infrastructures: Activists
27Jul By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

China strengthening military base in Gilgit Baltistan by constructing mega infrastructures: Activists

Activists in the Gilgit-Baltistan region are worried that Beijing is using military power to build Diamer Bhasha Dam with an aim to counter India’s growing influence in the region as Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan takes swift steps and kicked off construction work at the mega infrastructure.“We have to look at commencement of construction of Diamer Dam in context of Chinese attacks and occupation of Indian lands in Ladakh, Uttrakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. China is concerned about India’s growing interest in acquiring control over Gilgit Baltistan,” said Senge H Sering, director of the Washington-based Institute of Gilgit Baltistan Studies.“China knows that Gilgit Baltistan is a legal part of India and if the international community helps India then Pakistan will not find many
Read More
People of PoK, Gilgit-Baltistan stand with Indian Army in fight against China, says activist
2Jul By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

People of PoK, Gilgit-Baltistan stand with Indian Army in fight against China, says activist

Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza, a political activist from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), who is living in exile in Glasgow, has expressed anger over Chinese aggression at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and has pledged to support the Indian Army.Mirza, who hails from Mirpur in PoK, said, "For 70 years, the people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan have been kept separate from India. India is facing a tough time because of China's aggression, which along with Pakistan and Nepal's Communist Party, are playing a dirty game. We will not remain silent and stand shoulder to shoulder with India".He added, "I personally will fight for India and wherever the blood of Indian Army personnel will be spilled, we will also fight against the enemy".After the violent clash between Indian ...
Read More
Gilgit-Baltistan Agriculture Minister among 118 new COVID-19 deaths in Pakistan
21Jun By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Gilgit-Baltistan Agriculture Minister among 118 new COVID-19 deaths in Pakistan

Minister for Agriculture in Gilgit-Baltistan Janbaz Khan has become the latest political figure in Pakistan to succumb to the deadly coronavirus disease.Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Janbaz Khan had been on a ventilator for four days, a doctor at Gilgit's city hospital - where the 64-year-old minister was admitted - was quoted as saying."He had a heart related disease, besides diabetes,” said the doctor. The minister is survived by two wives, five sons and four daughters.A total of 118 new COVID-19 deaths have been reported in Pakistan in the last 24 hours.As many as 5,358 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Pakistan, taking the tally of COVID-19 cases in the country to 162,973.So far five lawmakers, including two provincial ministers, have died in Pakistan due to the
Read More
China feels threatened by India’s infra building in Ladakh, says Gilgit Baltistan activist
21Jun By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

China feels threatened by India’s infra building in Ladakh, says Gilgit Baltistan activist

Political activist Senge H Sering from Gilgit Baltistan has condemned Chinese aggression in Ladakh which recently led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers saying Beijing is feeling threatened by India's infrastructure projects in the Union Territory.Sering, the director of Institute of Gilgit Baltistan Studies said, "India is improving its infrastructure and making its access to Karakoram Pass much easier. That means India will be able to access G219 (China National Highway 219) from Galwan Valley, because it is very close to the watershed of the Galwan River. Then you will be able to cut Tibet from Xinjiang, in case India tries to move forward towards East and North. And you will also be able to cut the Eastern route, the second route of CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor)."His remarks ...
Read More