Statement of karakorum lawyers forums GS

Ghazi Anwar shaheed is our hero GBNA

Mumtaz Nagari statement

iqbal avocate statement

GBDA !st 2008

KSO hazara independents day programme

Time to stand up: KSO

Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Karachi Saturday, November 8-------November 14, 2008
Time to stand up: KSOBy Our CorrespondentAbbottabad: It is time students community of Karakoram stand up to attain rights denied to the people for the last over six decades. This was stated at a seminar-cum-cultural show organized by the Karakoram Students Organization, Hazara Unit, in connection with the Independence Day of Gilgit-Baltistan at Jalalabad Auditorium in Abbottabad. A large number of students studying in nearby areas attended the programme. Those who spoke on the occasion included chairman KSO Hazara unit Kshif Ali Boonjui, President Engineer Mujahid Ali, Maroof Shah Advocate, Dr Chaudhry Afzal Siraj, student elader Syed Tasawar Kazmi and Athar Kazmi.The speakers stressed the need for a joint struggle for attainment of political, social, constitutional and economic rights.They said under a well-planned conspiracy, people of the region had been divided on sectarian and regional lines in order to keep them in perpetual subjugation.They stressed that the new generation should understand the conspiracies and come out of the prejudices, hatred and promote unity in their ranks to attain their basic rights and safeguard their identity, culture and traditions.Artists especially invited from Gilgit-Baltistan presented traditional show on the occasion which was appreciated by the participants.

The first media breifing of Iqbal advocate chairman APNA

Gilgit-Baltistan’s constitutional status Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Karachi Saturday, September 6-------September 12, 2008Call for joint struggle to attain rightsBy Our CorrespondentISLAMABAD: Nationalist leaders of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir have called for joint struggle for the revival of the identity of the disputed region and for the attainment of constitutional, political and economic rights.“The nationalist and progressive forces, both in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, should join hands and launch struggle for attainment of socio-political and constitutional rights usurped by the rulers of Pakistan for the last over six decades”, said leaders of All Parties National Alliance (APNA) while speaking at a press conference here. Those who were present on the occasion included Adv. Mohammad Iqbal newly elected Chairman of APNA along with his secretasry-general Sardar Mohammad Sabir Kashmiri, press secretary Prof M.A.R.K Khaleeq, spokesman Wazir Shafi, Ex-Chairman Mirza Wajahat Hassan Khan, Ex. General Secretary Arif Shahid and Manzoor Husain Parwana, member CEC of the alliance.They said Gilgit-Baltistan has been denied its basic human rights only because it is part of the disputed Kashmir region.They said Gilgit-Baltistan, which the government calls Northern Areas, has been kept deprived of all political, economic and constitutional rights for the last over 60 years. The same is the case with the people of Azad Kashmir. In the past both these regions had remained part of the Dogra rule. Therefore, it is necessary that nationalist and progressive parties in both Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir should join hands and launch a movement for attaining the political, economic and constitutional rights of the people. They said APNA (Jammu Kashmir & Gilgit-Blatistan) was set up in the early 2001 to first end militancy and terrorism in the region and then launch a political movement to resolve the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of the people and ensure all basic rights for the masses. Another objective of the alliance was to bring the people of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan closer as they have been denied their due rights for the last over six decades. A number of political parties and other forces have joined the alliance and many were planning to join it. And secondly, people of both the region, especially the educated class, have started realizing the sufferings of the masses and are stressing joint efforts to resolve them.The All Parties National Alliance leaders said they wanted the issue of Kashmir to be resolved through dialogue and at the same time wanted the governments of Pakistan and India to withdraw their troops and civilian officials from the region in accordance with the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) resolutions and form self-governments in these regions. They said Kashmir was not a religious but a national issue because at the time of partition of the subcontinent the 15 million people of the region were denied their due right of self-determination. Therefore, we urge the international community to help us end the occupation of India and Pakistan on the region. They said they considered UN silence over the issue as a criminal neglect. They also expressed concerns over allotment of land in the Northern Areas to non-local people and companies by the government of Pakistan.They termed "violation of the State Subject Rules" the government's move to allot land in the region to about 2,000 people and companies. The APNA leaders demanded that the government should honour the resolutions of United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) under which Pakistan could not allot any land to non-local people or companies in Gilgit-Baltistan nor enter into agreements with other countries for any development project against the wishes of the local people.The government has recently signed a number of agreements with China for the extension of roads and trade without taking the local population into confidence, they added. They alleged that during the 61 years of independence, the government of Pakistan has constantly kept the people of the region under-developed and the area has been turned into a conflict zone due to the simmering tension with India over Kashmir. He said Pakistan was treating the area as its colony.

GBDA verses PPP

No to Kashmir style govt we want freedom by KNM

“Annul all illegal mining leases issued in disputed Gilgit - Baltistan”, Nationalists demand in Hunza Valley

HUNZA, 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, 2008

GBDA threatens revolt against Diamer Dam

By 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 2008

By Our Correspondent

GILGIT:

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.

Transfer of anthropology institute condemned

Weekly Bang-e-Sahar

Satuarday, August 2-----August 2008

By 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.

comrade Naeem statement

Injustices decried
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Saturday, April 26----May 2, 2008
By Our Correspondent

HUNZA: Karakoram National Movement (KNM) leader Comrade Naeemullah Baig has hailed PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari's decision to apologize to the people of Balochistan for excesses done with them during the last 60 years, promising to compensate them for the injustices.However, the KNM leader regretted that nobody has ever expressed remorse over the excesses and injustices meted out to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan since 1947. He said not only we have been living under occupation but also our resources are being looted by outsiders.He appealed to the international community to pressure Pakistan to end the injustices, and give the people an opportunity to safeguard their identity and achieve basic constitutional, social, economic and political rights.

Statement of MEP After meeting with nationalists

press statements by ichairman KNM

KNM Sends Report to European Union

WEEKLY BANG-E-SAHAR

Saturday,March 29-April 4,2008

KNM to send report to EU

Karakuram National Movement (KNM) has decided to send a comprehensive report on Gilgit-Baltistan’s constitutional rights, economic and social issues to the European Union’s human rights committee.The decision was taken at the central executive committee meeting of the movement held under the chairmanship of its chairman Advocate Mohammad Iqbal in Gilgit.The meeting discussed the Emma Nicholson report on the region and its future strategy to raise the issue at international forums.The meeting also discussed various aspects of the Northern Areas Governance Order. It was pointed out that there was no difference at all between the LFO (legal framework order) and the governance order under which the Northern Areas Legislative Council had been renamed as NA Legislative Assembly. It was stated that instead of transferring powers to the assembly, civil and military bureaucracy had been vested with more socio-economic and administrative powers.The meeting demanded that the powers of civil and military bureaucracy should be curtailed and military officers posted in civilian organizations of Gilgit-Baltistan should be withdrawn in accordance with the directives of Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Pavez Kayani.
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chairman KNM daily times interview

Daily Times.

Monday, March 03, 2008

Kashmir Affairs Ministry urged to end nepotism

By Ibrahim Shahid

GILGIT: Chairman of the Karakurum National Movement (KNM) on Sunday demanded the Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Ministry to stop nepotism and discrimination on political grounds in the Northern Areas Administration.Talking to Daily Times, Advocate Muhammad Iqbal said the ministry should not grant service extension officers of the Northern Areas Police against whom the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had registered cases.He said that some Northern Areas Police high ups, including a deputy inspector general (DIG), who had been involved in the illegal registration of vehicles were due to retire from the service. However, he added, that the ministry, with the collusion of a sitting advisor of the Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA) was manoeuvring to extend these officers’ service.He said the extension of service beyond the retirement age of 60 years was a violation of the prescribed rules and regulations, which could not be tolerated.He said that the NAB was hearing cases against these corrupt police officers in Gilgit after the transfer of cases from Rawalpindi following presidential reforms introduced in Northern Areas.Iqbal complained that if the police officers were granted extension in service, the junior police officers whose promotion was due would suffer. He urged the Kashmir Affairs Ministry to stop developing such a trend in the region.He pointed out that the government rejected the service extension of some competent senior officers of the Northern Areas Administration. Yet, he added, the ministry was contemplating extending the service of some other officers purely on political grounds.Iqbal said that the oath of sitting members of the upgraded Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council as members of the Northernareas Legislative Assembly without an election to the Legislative Assembly was illegal. He explained that such an oath was in violation of the Northern Areas Governance Order, 1994, as well as the Constitution of Pakistan and other democratic norms prevailing through out the world.He urged the Federal Government to dissolve the upgraded assembly and to hold free and fair election for the Legislative Assembly to elect their representatives.
Home National

An other meeting with Emma Nicholson MEP

On saturaday MEP Emma nicholson meet with the political activist of Gb again.Shafqat Inqalabi former spokesman BNf ,Iqbal advocate chairman of KNM and Ali ahmed jan central leader of KNM breif Emma in detail about the conflict of GilGit Baltistan.Ali Madad Bai of BNF is also among with the delegation.Mr Riaz Khan of UKPNP breif Emma about POK.The senior most journalist of Kashmir and the Cheif editor of monthly Voice of Kashmir mr Maroof khan Kashmiriis playing the role of the cordinatar to mrs Emma Nicholson in Islamabad.Who Fix the time and shedule of Mrs Emmas meetings with the activists of GilGit Baltistan and Pok.Emma nicholson breif the delegates about her last meeting with Pakistani president General retd. pervaz Musharaf.She discuss the views of europion parlimentarians about Kashmir dispute.The deligate from GB provide the local govt ordinance, deatils of annual budget for GB by pakistanto Mrs Emma Nicholson. Dr Shabir chaudhry of IKA join the meeting through telephonic call from london.The both of meetings were arranged by Dr shabir chaudhary and manage by Managed by Maroof Khan Kashmiri. The delegation try to convince Emma about the views of the political parties of GB.Mrs Emma nicholson commit to the delegation that She will try to visit GB and pok soon.Shafqat Inqalabi , Maroof Khan , Iqbal Advocate ,Ali Ahmed Jan and mr Riaz khan discuss about different prospects on kashmir issue ,roles of India and pakistan.Peoples of GB and the political parties hopeful about the posative results of these two meetings .
We are very Thankful to Dr shabir chaudhary for his efforts for arranging these meetings.
Shafqat Inqalabi
Iqbal Advocate