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“Annul all illegal mining leases issued in disputed Gilgit - Baltistan”, Nationalists demand in Hunza ValleyHUNZA, July 21: The people of Gilgit-Baltistan need to be united in order to fight for the basic human and constitutional rights of the depressed and marginalised communities of the region. This was said by the leaders of nationalist parties and civil society organisation during a public consultation gathering in Aliabad, Hunza. The gathering was organised by Karakoram National Movement (KNM), Progressive Youth Front (PYF) and Balor Forum with the support of Gilgit Baltistan Democratic Alliance (GBDA).Hundreds of people from Hunza and Nagar participated the gathering.
The speakers said that the people of the region have fought for their independence and unconditionally acceded with Pakistan but after 60 years the local people are still suffering from identity crisis. The speakers have demanded that the Government of Pakistan shall immediately define the constitutional status of Gilgit-Baltistan and the region should be given self-rule. They also demanded to declare Gilgit-Baltistan as least-developed region and funds should be provided on preferential basis.
The speakers also demanded opening of the Skardu-Kargil, Astore-Sri Nagar, Ghizer/Hunza-Tajikistan Roads in order to re-establish the social, cultural and economic ties between the communities living around the borders.
The speakers strongly condemned the recent terrorist activities in Gilgit city and stressed on the people to understand the international conspiracies being hatched to destroy peace in Gilgit-Baltistan to fulfil their own hidden agendas.
The speakers have highlighted different issues faced by the people of the region due to negligence of the Northern Areas administration and Government of Pakistan. They said that more than 50 mining leases have been awarded to influential non-local entrepreneurs while violating the United Nations universal declarations recognizing and strengthening the role of indigenous people and their communities. They demanded cancelation of all the leases given in Gilgit-Baltistan and acceptance of the right of ownership of local communities for all future leases.
The speakers also demanded that the unemployed youth of the region should be facilitated to establish different potential industries in the region. The speakers have demanded to award the compensation of KKH affectees according to international standard. They have said that the region besides having great potential of hydro power generation facing severe electricity problem. They demanded to construct power station on Hunza River by constructing small dams.
The speakers bitterly criticised the role of Chief Executive Northern Areas and his family members for creating problems for the legally elected cabinet of Sost Dry Port. The speakers have demanded for an independent investigation on the large scale irregularities in Sost Dry Port.
The speakers also highlighted large scale irregularities in Khizerabad - Sikandarabad RCC Bridge and Water Supply Scheme for Central Hunza.
Ghulam Shahzad Agha, Chairman GBDA, Amanullah, Senior Vice President, GBDA, Mumtaz Nagri, Vice President, GBDA, Muhammad Iqbal Advocate, Chairman KNM, Advocate Ahsan, Ali, Chairman Labor Party Baloristan, Manzoor Parwana, Chairman, GBUM, Arif Shahid, General Secretary APNA and Professor Mark Khalid, Spokesman APNA. Among the other sepakers were Ikramullah Baig, Hoor Shah, Senior Vice Chairman, Sost Dry Port Trust, Burhan, Director, Sost Dry Port Trust, Haji Rehmat Ali, Representative KKH affectees Nagar, Jan Alam, Representative KKH affectees Hunza and Baba Jan, Chief Organiser Progressive Youth Front.
After a very long period of time political leadership from across Gilgit - Baltistan had come to the Hunza Valley, as part of ongoing efforts to develop public consensus over a variety of common issues faced by the region. Earlier GBDA has organized similar events in Gilgit city, Skardu city and Gahkuch, capital of Ghizar district. The event was peaceful but public attendance in the gathering wasn’t up to the expectations of the organizers.
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Saturday, June 21---June 27, 2008GBDA threatens revolt against Diamer DamBy Our CorrespondentGILGIT:
Terming the Diamer-Basha dam a recipe for disaster in the region, the Gilgit-Balristan Democratic Alliance (GBDA) has called upon the international community to pressure the Pakistani government not to go ahead with the project which was being executed against the wishes of the people of the area.It warned that if the controversial project was not stopped, not only the people of Chilas but those from all parts of Gilgit-Baltistan would rise in revolt. These views were expressed by GBDA central leaders including Ehsan Ali Advocate,Ex Chairman GBDA Mohammad Rafiq, Ali Haider Taj, Burhanullah, Ghufran Battu, Wazir Mohammad Shafi, Muzaffar Ali Advocate and Shafqat Inqilabi while speaking at a press conference here.They said the international status of Gilgit-Baltistan was not like a province or tribal area of Pakistan but a separate state unlike all four provinces and the tribal areas of Pakistan put together. They also expressed the reservations that Pakistan had still not decided whose property the Diamer-Basha dam was; neither there was any guarantee that the royalty of the dam would be given to Gilgit-Baltistan.They said a large number of people of Diamer would have to be separated from their near and dear ones and in return they would be meted out a treatment even worst than that given to the affected people of Turbela dam project who are still living in tents. They said even if the government allays the fears and reservations of the people of the region, who would be responsible and competent authority to enter into an agreement with Islamabad on behalf of the two million people on equal terms. They demanded that the project should be stopped forthwith in order to save the area from sinking otherwise people of Gilgit-Baltistan would take to the streets.
Peace Conference by KSO
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Karachi Satuarday, August 2-----August 2008By Our CorrespondentGILGIT:Speaker Northern Areas Legislative Assembly Mohammad Miskeen has said due to wrong policies of the bureaucracy at the ministry of Kashmir affairs and Northern Areas, nationalist forces in Gilgit-Baltistan are gaining popularity in the region.He said if the officials of the KANA division did not change their policies, it may become possible one day that you (the nationalists) and we would be united in a single platform and launch a struggle for the rights of the region.He expressed these views while speaking as chief guest at a peace conference organised by the Karakoram Students Organisation at Gilgit Press Club.He said before launching a struggle to gain constitutional rights we should have unity in our ranks. He said in the year 2005 violence hit this six-km area and soon engulfed the whole region. Whenever violence spreads in the region it never remains confined to a single locality but spread to the whole region and affects the masses.He said before 2005, there were two forces by the names of Anjuman-i-Imamia and Tanzeem-i-Ahle Sunnat and if even a cracker was detonated we would go to our camps. He said after the 2005 incidents we gathered intellectuals, lawyers, politicians and after consulting religious organisations formed a Jirga and reached an agreement in the lights of talks held between the two parties during the past 20 years. Later, we spread the messages of love, brotherhood, peace and education to the masses. These efforts yielded positive results, he added.He said it was a result of public maturity that after the recent attemt to the life of member legislative assembly Himayatullah, the people remained calm and did not took the law into their own hands and the elders of both the groups condemned the incident. Speaking on the occasion, member legislative assembly Dr Muzaffar said the people of Gilgit-Baltistan understand what is good and what is bad for them. He said the people are now aware of the conspiracies which were hatched to divide them in the past. He said for the first time President Musharraf has acknowledged that Gilgit-Baltistan is a disputed area. Praising the role of the grand peace Jirga, he said the prevailing peace in the region was a result of the peace Jirga.Adv. Wazir Mohammad Shafi of BNF said to achieve rights and fight against injustices, the masses should be aware of their rights. He said whenever the people of this region get united for their rights conspiracies are hatched to divide them.Col (retired) Nadir Hassan said to take forward the struggle for political rights we need to safeguard our national identity. He said history showed that there were no sectarian clashes in the region.Karakoram National Movement president Adv. Mohammad Iqbal said China was becoming a super power and to reach its borders and contain its strength, a number of propaganda campaigns had been launched.
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Satuarday, August 2-----August 2008By Our CorrespondentKARACHI: The Karakoram National Movemnet (KNM) Sindh chapter's general secretary Faqir Hussain Chandio has said aniti-Karakoram forces are out to change the geography of the region.He said the transfer of the anthropology institute from Diamer valley of Karakoram to the Hazara University was one such step. He condemned the move and termed it a conspiracy against the region.Mr Chandio was speaking at the annual meeting of Karakoram National Movemnet Sindh at a hotel in Karachi. He said the institute had been carrying out research work in the area for the last over twenty years. He said under the guidance of Prof Dr Ahmad Hasan Dani, the researchers had collected a wealth of data about the geography and culture of Karakoram.One Shakil Durrani, who now works in the Diamer-Basha Dam, was among the researchers and was instrumental in handing over the data to the vice-chancellor of the Hazara University, who is his close relative.He said the institute should have been transferred to the Karakoram International University for promotion of cultural heritage of the area.A large number of KNM workers and activists attended the meeting.
