New Delhi: The people of Gilgit Baltistan, the northernmost region of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), have been protesting against Pakistan for some time now and demanding its merger with the Union Territory of Ladakh. is Troubled by inflation, unemployment, the people of this area are fed up with the discriminatory policies of the Pakistan government and are now protesting against Pakistan to join India. Protesters say that for decades Pakistani governments have discriminated against them and exploited their territory.
Many videos of anti-Pakistan protests are surfacing on social media, in which people of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) can be seen protesting on the roads in large numbers. People are demanding that Sakardu Kargil road in Kargil district of Ladakh be reopened. They demand that their people from Baltistan living in Ladakh be allowed to live with them.
In this protest that has been going on for the last several days, people have been demanding that the illegal occupation of their lands by the Pakistani government be ended and the exploitation of natural resources in their area should be stopped. One of their demands is that due to inflation they cannot buy all the essential commodities including wheat so the government should give them subsidy.
Pakistan army forcibly occupied the lands of this area
The Pakistani army is claiming to forcibly occupy the land and resources of the impoverished areas of Gilgit-Baltistan. The land issue between the Pakistan government and the people of GB has been going on for decades but since 2015 the dispute has escalated. Locals argue that the land belongs to them as the area is in PoK. At the same time, the administration says that the land, which has not been given to anyone, belongs to the government of Pakistan. These demonstrations started at the end of the year 2022 and are still ongoing in the new year against the Pakistan government and army for land grabbing, levying heavy taxes.
China Connection of Exhibitions
Pakistan is soon going to secretly lease the area of Upper Hunza Valley to China. Through this, Pakistan wants to reduce China’s debt by increasing China’s investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. The area is very rich in minerals and China may start mining projects there. Due to which people are also showing great anger.
Pakistan’s economic crisis and public protest
The entire population of Pakistan is currently struggling for two-time bread and dal. There is a severe shortage of wheat, pulses, sugar etc. in the country due to which their prices are skyrocketing. Apart from this, the governments of Pakistan are adopting a discriminatory attitude towards the people of this region. Critics say that since Imran Khan’s PTI is in power in the area, Shahbaz Sharif’s government is deliberately not allowing the supply of goods.
Due to all these reasons the condition of the people has become so pathetic that now they want to leave Pakistan which they decided to stay with in 1947 and join India. The people of Gilgit Baltistan are so angry that they have taken to the streets in large numbers demanding that the Kargil route leading to the Kashmir Valley be opened for trade.
After separation from India, Pakistan depended on foreign aid
Pakistan has been dependent on foreign aid for the past 75 years. Pakistan’s friendly countries also believe that Pakistan always seeks financial help from them. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, sitting in the opposition, has called Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif a beggar and said that he begs everywhere.
On Thursday, Shahbaz Sharif traveled to the United Arab Emirates to seek financial assistance, where he met Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, he requested Pakistan to give a loan of two billion dollars. He also demanded an additional $1 billion in the name of flood relief.
However, the UAE did not agree to provide additional dollars to Pakistan. Pakistan already owes a lot to the UAE, there is no question of immediate rollover of that debt. Pakistan has received nearly ten billion dollars in aid from countries and organizations at the Geneva Conference.
In 1971, East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) was hit hard by the secession of Pakistan and was burdened with debt to meet its needs. Pakistan took loans of $840 million in 1972, $750 million in 1973 and $100 million in 1974 from America. Pakistan has taken loans from the International Monetary Fund 22 times so far.
Why is Gilgit-Baltistan important for India?
In October last year, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh made a statement in Srinagar regarding the reunification of Pakistan-administered Kashmir with India. He said, ‘The goal of full development in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be achieved only after reaching Gilgit Baltistan, which is part of PoK. Now we have started walking towards north. Our journey will be completed when we implement the resolution passed by the Parliament of India on 22 February 1994 and accede the area upto Gilgit-Baltistan to India.