Justice Muzaffar Ali (R)
TAKING the constitutional rights of Gilgit-Baltistan, India, Kashmir leaders along with a few cronies in GB and even government of Pakistan are having historical fancies and all have had a misconception about that the region was an integral part of J&K state. Some people are misconceiving the liberation movement holding that the locals liberated the GB with the intention to establish an independent local state in the region. I, therefore, deem it proper to unveil the factual historical background of the region on the basis of admissions made by the last Dogra Governor, Ghansara Singh in Gilgit-Baltistan, in his “memoir” with the title “GILGIT BEFORE 1947”. He is the person who witnessed and surrendered before the liberation forces of GB in the year 1947.
The man admits in the first page as that “The Gilgit territories also known as Dardistan for the first time came under Indian influence in 1842 A.D. when the Sikhs appeared on the scene. These comprise difficult and inhospitable region lying in the lap of lofty snow clad mountains. On their North Stand Karakoram, Hindukush and the Pamirs. On the West these are bounded by Kafiristan and on the South by Kashmir and NWFP (now KP) of Pakistan.” In para 2, page 1 of his memoir, he concedes as that “prior to the annexation by the Sikhs in the first half of the 19th Century, Gilgit and the adjoining small prince polities were ruled by local Ranas or Rajas. These local chieftains bore great enmity to one another and the country was always in a perpetual state of war.” He again acknowledges in the same para of page 1 as, “the region was surrounded by numerous peaks varying from 18,000 to 25,561 ft of the Rakaposhi and still higher 26,620 ft of the Nanga Parbat and this prevented exercise of any effective control by any outsider suzerain. Moreover, during those days there were no roads and mobile transport and the territories were inaccessible for the greater part of the year and under these circumstances dispatch of reinforcements and reliefs in the eventuality of any rebellion were almost impossible. This provided the inhabitants immunity from the external aggression.”
The above stated admissions of last Governor of maharaja Kashmir, historically witnesses that, in history, the region remained an independent country ruled by the locals up to the year 1842. He, while giving geographical boundaries of Gilgit-Baltistan, shows J&K state separately on the south side of GB for the first time, the Sikhs of Punjab invaded to conquer the region on request of Kareem Khan, the brother of Raja Sikandar who was killed by Raja Gohar Aman of Yasin. This is how GB came under control of the Punjab Sikh ruler. Thereafter, Maharaja Ghulaab Singh, the ruler of Kashmir, aggressed the region and after defeating the local forces, ruled over Gilgit-Baltistan but the locals never ever accepted Dogra rule over their country and in the year 1947, they stood against and ejected Dogra forces from their motherland. Hopefully, the historical imaginations made by both India and Pakistan including the Kashmiris about GB, with the foul version to include GB within the boundaries of J&K state, would change if they stand for the version with bonafide historical mistake. Both countries and Kashmiri leaders need to understand and to follow the international principle that if a region or a country is conquered for a period of time by invading into, might not be the part of that state and if a conqueror’s invasion into any region or state is acknowledged, then the world map would be changed.
To meet the second point, I again go to the admissions of the man who witnessed the successful liberation struggle in GB against his regime. In his memoir, he admits in last lines of page 25 and first lines of page 26, “The same evening Major Brown, the commandant, and JCO’s of Gilgit Scouts came to pay respect to Major General Scott and to me. During the course of our conversations Sub-Major Babur Khan of Scotts and all the JCO’s clearly stated that they want to serve Pakistan.” Again in page 26, para 9, he states that “Similarly, the next day, the whole civil establishment in Gilgit came to meet me and stated that they all had opted to serve Pakistan.” In page 28 para 16, he writes, “During this time companies of 6th Kashmir Infantry started from Srinagar to relieve one company of 5th J&K Infantry at Bunji. The leading Company was commanded by one captain Hassan Khan. They shouted slogans of Pakistan from Bandipur.”
The local people and the Kashmiri leadership must go through the memoir of the eye-witness who was heading the enemy at the time of liberation movement in Gilgit-Baltistan and review their views either to couple the liberation movement in GB with an independent state or to consider the Gilgit-Baltistan a part of J&K state. The liberation movement by the local forces with the help of civil population was aimed at joining the newly born Muslim country, Pakistan. The sovereign authorities of Pakistan are also invited to address their past historical mistakes and are demanded to make Gilgit-Baltistan constitutional part of Pakistan as 5th province. Keeping in view, the present scenario as the wolves of the world are having evil intentions towards Gilgit-Baltistan.
—The writer is a former Judge Supreme Appellate Court, Gilgit-Baltistan.
