Stand-off: Kohistan, G-B residents at odds over boundary issue
Parties accuse each other of encroaching upon a 10-km stretch of land.
Parties accuse each other of encroaching upon a 10-km stretch of land. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
GILGIT:
Traffic remained suspended on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) for a second consecutive day on Tuesday as protesters from Chilas continued to block the thoroughfare in protest against neighbouring Kohistan district.
The protest is continuing over a piece of land on both sides of the Basari check post, which separates Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B). The status of the 10-kilometre stretch is not clear, often leading to unrest between residents of Diamer Valley and Kohistan, as it involves compensation and royalty in the long run.
The issue flared up again on Monday when residents of Kohistan gathered near Shatyal, threatening to dismantle the check post by force. Kohistan’s representative body, the Kohistan Jirga, had reportedly refused to be part of talks with the K-P and G-B governments if the check post remains intact.
Subsequently, residents of Kohistan blocked the KKH, disrupting traffic between G-B and Rawalpindi.
In reaction to this, over 300 people from Chilas town marched to Basari check post to reportedly ‘defend the place’. The protesters also condemned the ‘encroachment’ from Kohistan. An official delegation from G-B has reached Chilas to hold dialogue with officials from Kohistan in order to defuse the tension.
“We are hopeful about a positive settlement,” said Gilgit DIG Ali Sher, who is a part of the delegation. “At the moment we are holding talks with the protesters in Chilas as well to get the KKH cleared for traffic as soon as possible,” the DIG added. G-B Home Secretary Attaur Rahman is also a part of the delegation.
Chilas-based journalist Mohammad Qasim told The Express Tribune, “The situation is volatile as emotions still run high. But it is a good sign that negotiations are going to take place between officials of the two regions.”
The issue over the boundary has been repeatedly debated in both G-B and K-P assemblies in the past. Both sides have accused each other of encroaching upon their land.
The previous G-B government of the Pakistan Peoples Party had formed a commission to settle the dispute after taking both the regions into confidence, however, the matter remains unresolved.
Meanwhile, hundreds of residents from Kohistanis also protested near Basri Nala on KKH against the G-B government for what they called ‘illegal occupation of their land.’
Police and Frontier Corps officials remained deployed, however, the protesters could not be convinced to end the blockade.
The land dispute started between Kohistani people and the residents of Thordas village of G-B when the government announced Bhasha Dam project. The area of Basri Nala, according to Kohistanis, would be inundated by the dam and compensation was their right.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 18th, 2013.
Traffic remained suspended on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) for a second consecutive day on Tuesday as protesters from Chilas continued to block the thoroughfare in protest against neighbouring Kohistan district.
The protest is continuing over a piece of land on both sides of the Basari check post, which separates Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B). The status of the 10-kilometre stretch is not clear, often leading to unrest between residents of Diamer Valley and Kohistan, as it involves compensation and royalty in the long run.
The issue flared up again on Monday when residents of Kohistan gathered near Shatyal, threatening to dismantle the check post by force. Kohistan’s representative body, the Kohistan Jirga, had reportedly refused to be part of talks with the K-P and G-B governments if the check post remains intact.
Subsequently, residents of Kohistan blocked the KKH, disrupting traffic between G-B and Rawalpindi.
In reaction to this, over 300 people from Chilas town marched to Basari check post to reportedly ‘defend the place’. The protesters also condemned the ‘encroachment’ from Kohistan. An official delegation from G-B has reached Chilas to hold dialogue with officials from Kohistan in order to defuse the tension.
“We are hopeful about a positive settlement,” said Gilgit DIG Ali Sher, who is a part of the delegation. “At the moment we are holding talks with the protesters in Chilas as well to get the KKH cleared for traffic as soon as possible,” the DIG added. G-B Home Secretary Attaur Rahman is also a part of the delegation.
Chilas-based journalist Mohammad Qasim told The Express Tribune, “The situation is volatile as emotions still run high. But it is a good sign that negotiations are going to take place between officials of the two regions.”
The issue over the boundary has been repeatedly debated in both G-B and K-P assemblies in the past. Both sides have accused each other of encroaching upon their land.
The previous G-B government of the Pakistan Peoples Party had formed a commission to settle the dispute after taking both the regions into confidence, however, the matter remains unresolved.
Meanwhile, hundreds of residents from Kohistanis also protested near Basri Nala on KKH against the G-B government for what they called ‘illegal occupation of their land.’
Police and Frontier Corps officials remained deployed, however, the protesters could not be convinced to end the blockade.
The land dispute started between Kohistani people and the residents of Thordas village of G-B when the government announced Bhasha Dam project. The area of Basri Nala, according to Kohistanis, would be inundated by the dam and compensation was their right.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 18th, 2013.