Disputed territory: Lawyers oppose G-B’s accession to Pakistan
The Mirpur District Bar Association (MDBA) expressed serious concerns on Wednesday over reports that the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) region will be acceded to Pakistan through a resolution passed by the G-B Legislative Assembly.
The MDBA in its meeting warned the government of Pakistan to desist from taking any hasty decision regarding the accession of G-B to Pakistan.
G-B is part of the disputed State of Jammu and Kashmir, a fact which is acknowledged both historically and internationally, MDBA members argued.
The speakers added that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is on the list of UNO issues that are yet to be resolved.
G-B being part of Kashmir was thus part of the dispute and any decision to accede it to Pakistan would undermine the Kashmir freedom movement, it said.
According to the UNO resolution in this regard, a plebiscite was to be held in Jammu and Kashmir allowing the people to decide through a referendum whether they want to accede with India or Pakistan or remain independent, MDBA said.
If the plebiscite was held in Indian held Kashmir and AJK, it would also be held in G-B according to UNO’s right of self determination granted to the people of Jammu & Kashmir, it said. Therefore, Pakistan could not accept any part of the disputed area until the whole issue was resolved, they said.
They reiterated that any endeavour for accession of G-B to Pakistan would be a betrayal of the principled stance over Kashmir issue by the government of Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2012.
COMMENTS (21)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1730886375-0/Untitled-design-(46)1730886375-0-270x192.webp "pm shehbaz inaugurates model village for flood hit gb residents")
@Kaiser Hameed Khan:
"Does the Government of AJK give a singe penny to GB out of its revenue or Budget?"
The reason for this is that Pakistan deliberately split its portion of occupied Kashmir into Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas/GB. The idea was to project the dispute with India as one with regard to Azad Kashmir and Indian Kashmir. In the process, the hope was that NA/GB would be slowly merged into Pakistan by changing demographics there.
If Pakistan had not split out Azad Kashmir, NA/GB would have been together with all Pakistani Kashmir. So the fault lies not with the AJK legislators, but with the state of Pakistan.
@Hunzai: You are mixing up "will of the people, independence and being part of Pakistan. If you are truly independent now, why is that GB is ruled from Islamabad? If you want will of the people, why are you already declaring GB to be part of Pakistan?
GB has never been part of Kashmir as stated above except at the times the British enrouted the reporting line while keeping the autounomus status of princely states . Again the fact is know and should be know to all that the people of GB have won their independence by their own without any help from outside . Those sitting in kashmir should not forget the brave tribal phatans who have fought to liberate the so called azad kashmir .
and to those who think that GB is still part of kashmir either you live in a fool paradise or you are trying to mess up something .
Our ancestors have acceded to pakistan unconditionally and let me tell so being ignored and subjected to bueratical rule for past 64 years still we love pakistan . We are part of pakistan and we will remain part of pakistan .
AJK should be split and made part of Hazara and Potohar provinces. These people have more in common woth these area than KAshmir or Gilgit Baltistan
What a Surprise! Does the Government of AJK give a singe penny to GB out of its revenue or Budget? Then why should it be so possessive? I support the will of the people in deciding their own fate and political future but seriously question the right of people to demand rights over GB when they have not paid a single penny to GB since 1947. Would these Lawyers ever consider paying the share of budget to GB since 1947 ( 65 Years x billions of Rupees) Has even a single prime Minister of AJK ever contributed to any welfare project in GB ? We have enough Lawyers in GB , the Lawyers of Mirpur better mind their own business.
After reading all the comments n especially our brothers from GB we congratulate your up front decision. You were n are true Pakistani n we are proud of you all. Matter of Kishmir well better less said because since 1947 at least we fail to understand what exactly they want. Pakistan n it's people helped (financially, politically n otherwise) above all hundered n of thousands of it's brave soldiers laid down their life's But Kasmiri leaders when ever got chance spoke a foreign language. Won't it would be logical, good for all if all of them openly declare succession to Pakistan?
really absurd concerns of Lawerys, and historically GB is never been a part of Kashmir.
@Umer: Pakistan even supports ‘Azaadi’
Pakistan is planning to eliminate Shias and Ahmadis. Shias are being almost killed on daily basis. There is no azaadi for Shias, Ahmadis and other minorities in Pakistan. Balochis are being killed every day too. Pakistan army killed 3 million people in East Pakistan when East Pakistanis wanted equal rights and Mujibar Rahman as Prime Minister of Pakistan.
How many more years GBians should suffer in the name of Kashmir. Our Youth has been used in name of so called kashmiri jihad till recent years. GBians still have not basic human rights i-e freedom of press, right to vote and representation in national assembly and senate. The so called province is governed like an organization from ministry of Kashmir and Northern Affairs.
@Junaid...if you are lived in Gilgit-Baltistan then you are portraying wrong perception...and fake/ biased notion...G-B people will never go to merge with Kashmir.....
If you are not...then you don't know about dynamics and reality on ground...Do brush up you knowledge....
@ Saud: I guess you are a fake Indian commenter. You should be well-aware of the fact that it is India that has widely committed atrocities against innocent Kashmiris in Occupied Kashmir not Pakistan. Occupied Kashmir is the world's most militarized zone with 0.7 million troops (1 soldier for every 4 people). Indian Army has got the right to kill a Kashmiri one the mere basis of suspicion (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) and he is not accountable to anyone. People in IHK are not allowed to protest, move freely and even offer Eid prayers. How can you say that Pakistan is usurping Kashmiri's rights whereas Pakistan is always ready to conduct a free and fair plebiscite in Kashmir so that people could choose their own fate. Pakistan even supports 'Azaadi'
Non of a kashmiri Leaders on both sides of LOC has raised his/her voice against the atrocities of Pakistan or its coronies in the last 6 decades. How they can claim that GB is part of Kashmir? Yes was a party in Kashmir dispute but not part of Kashmir.
Gilgit-Baltistan people always respect and support Kashmir issue , but such theories rise again and again then we GB people will start protest against Kashmir that AJK is a part of India, this is true and base on fact. Yes we were also but we got freedom after gun battle. If you people are too much strong and pwerful then you can get freedom so far but you Kashmiris mostly like India so stay there and you dont have any right to say some thing about GB. You people dislike Pakistan but GB people loves Pakistan.
Kashmir should be made independent.
The oldest and the best solution to resolve the disputes is asking the will of people therefore, the world must ask the residents of Gilgit Baltistan for their will. it is true that Gilgit Baltistan was once part of Kashmir but one must also acknowledge that the brave people of Gilgit Baltistan got independence without any external help while the majority of Kashmiris are still slaves. I am a resident of Gilgit Baltistan and I would like to be part of Pakistan as an independent province. Respect the will of majority, it is true Islam and it is true democracy.
Well they are right. We can't act like India and violate international law. Disputed territories can not be integrated into a country regardless of the process.
And these are the people for whom you fought numerous wars with India?
Gilgit Baltistan is as much disputed territory of Kashmir as others.It should be merged into Azad Kashmir till the resolution Kashmir issue.
The MBDA cannot rubbish GB's freedom war which was fought by our ancestors for one year. We have won our freedom in the battle ground and no history nor any international bogus organizations, stooges of super powers, can challenge the results of that war. Accession or no accession to Pakistan, GB has its own cultural, historical and social uniqueness which is self evident and not subject to debate.
These sentiments expressed by Kashmiri bodies from time to time are counter-productive. They tend to act like post-colonial colonizers, claiming our land and our people, trying to distort our history. The Kashmiris should know that the states of Gilgit - Baltistan, which today compose the administrative unit, have individual histories and identities which go beyond the Dogra occupation of our motherland.
If not for the support and treachery of the Kashmiris, the Dogra rulers may never have been able to occupy our land.
Today the youth of GB will use all possible measures to stop the usurpation of our right to identity.