April 26, 2008 at 5:42 pm (EDITORIAL)
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Saturday, April 26—-May 2, 2008
Editorial
وفاقی وزیر امور کشمیر و چیئرمین شمالی علاقہ جات قمر زمان کائرہ نے گلگت بلتستان کا دورہ کرنے کے بعد گلگت بلتستان کے عوام سے جو وعدے کئے ہیں وہ ماضی کے حکمرانوں کے کئے گئے وعدوں کی طرح مشروط نظر آتے ہیں۔ گلگت بلتستان کے عوام کا یہ خیال تھا کہ اب جمہوری حکومت آ گئی ہے اور وزیراعظم سید یوسف رضا گیلانی نے حکومت سنبھالنے کے بعد 100 دن کی جن ترجیحات کا اعلان کیا اس کا دائرہ کار گلگت بلتستان تک بڑھایا جائے گا لیکن وفاقی وزیر کے پہلے دورہ گلگت سے یہاں کے عوام کے تحفظات اور خدشات میں مزید اضافہ ہونے لگا ہے۔ وفاقی وزیر نے 90 دن کے اندر سول اداروں سے فوج کی واپسی اور مالیاتی پیکیج دینے کا وعدہ کیا اسی طرح انہوں نے اور بھی کئی وعدے کئے لیکن گلگت بلتستان کی 61 سالہ محرومیوں اور قومی تشخص کی بحالی کے حوالے سے کوئی بات نہیں کی۔ پاکستان کے دیگر صوبوں کے برابر اقدامات کا ذکر تو ضرور کیا لیکن مسئلہ گلگت بلتستان کو حساس قرار دیکر سیاسی حوالے سے پارلیمنٹ میں بحث کرنے کا عندیہ دے کر بات گول مول کر دی۔خطہ گلگت بلتستان گزشتہ 61 سالوں سے آئینی، معاشی، انسانی اور تمام تر بنیادی حقوق سے محروم ہے اور اس خطے کا مستقبل مسئلہ کشمیر سے جڑا ہوا ہے۔ خطہ گلگت بلتستان کے مستقبل کا فیصلہ پاکستانی وزیروں یا حکمرانوں نے نہیں کرنا بلکہ اس کے مستقبل کا فیصلہ گلگت بلتستان کے عوام اور سیاسی قائدین نے کرنا ہے۔ اقوام متحدہ کی قراردادوں کے مطابق یہ تنازعہ کشمیر کا حصہ ہے۔ ہم نہیں سمجھتے کہ پاکستان کے حکمران اپنے مفادات کو بالائے طاق رکھ کر یہاں کے عوام کی امنگوں کے مطابق کوئی ریلیف دے سکیں گے کیونکہ ریاست کے اپنے تحفظات ہوتے ہیں۔ زیادہ سے زیادہ اپنے دور اقتدار کو محفوظ بنانے کیلئے ماضی کے حکمرانوں کی طرح انیس بیس کے فرق سے کوئی مالیاتی پیکیج دیا جا سکتا ہے لیکن اس خطے کے آئینی، معاشی اور قومی تشخص کا حل موجودہ حکمرانوں کے پاس بھی نہیں ۔ اگر پاکستانی حکمرانوں کا ظرف اتنا وسیع اور سوچ دانشمندانہ ہوتی تو صدر مشرف ہی اپنے اعلانات پر عمل درآمد کروالیتے۔ان تمام حقائق کو مد نظر رکھ کر یہ کہا جا سکتا ہے کہ اگر موجودہ حکومت گلگت بلتستان کی تعمیر و ترقی کیلئے عملی اقدامات کرنا چاہتی ہے تو اسے سابقہ حکومتوں کی پالیسیوں سے ہٹ کر قدم اٹھانا ہو گا کیونکہ گلگت بلتستان ماضی کی طرح سیاسی جمود کا شکار نہیں رہا۔ اس لئے اصل مسائل سے آنکھیں نہیں چرائی جا سکتیں اور اگر یہاں کے عوام کو ثانوی مسائل میں الجھا کر اصل ایشو سے دور رکھا گیا تو حکمرانوں کو سخت صورتحال کا سامنا کرنا پڑ سکتا ہے۔ انسانی حقوق کی پاسداری، جمہوری اداروں کے قیام، معاشی بدحالی کو دور کرنے کیلئے واضح منصوبہ بندی کی ضرورت ہے اور ان تمام مسائل پر کنٹرول کرنے کے لئے حق حکمرانی کو گلگت بلتستان منتقل کرنا ضروری ہے۔ اس کیلئے پہلے مرحلے میں ایک آئین ساز اسمبلی کا قیام اور قوم پرست و سیاسی کارکنوں پر دائر مقدمات کو ختم کرنا ہو گا جس طرح موجودہ حکومت نے بلوچستان سمیت ملک کے دیگر صوبوں میں مفاہمتی عمل کا سلسلہ شروع کیا ہے۔ اس کا دائرہ کار گلگت بلتستان تک بڑھاتے ہوئے گلگت بلتستان کے قوم پرستوں پر بھی دائر مقدمات ختم کئے اور خصوصاً بالاورستان نیشنل فرنٹ کے چیئرمین عبدالحمید خان گزشتہ دس سالوں سے جلاوطنی کی زندگی گزار رہے ہیںدائر مقدمات کو ختم کر کے واپس اپنی سرزمین پر آنے کا موقع دیا جائے۔ اسی طرح سینکڑوں قوم پرست رہنمائوں پر گلگت بلتستان کی عدالتوں میں مقدمات چل رہے ہیں ان کو بھی ختم کر کے ایک سیاسی و مفاہمتی عمل کو فروغ دیا جا نا چاہیے کیونکہ گزشتہ 61 سالوں سے یہاں کے عوام کو کوئی آزادی حاصل نہیں ہے۔ تحریر و تقریر پر غیر اعلانیہ پابندی ہے، سچ بولنے اور لکھنے والوں کو دیوار سے لگا دیا گیا ہے۔ اب یہ نئی جمہوری حکومت کا ٹیسٹ کیس ہے کہ وہ ان مذکورہ بالا امور پر کس حد تک سنجیدگی سے غور کرتی ہے یا ماضی کے حکمرانوں کی طرح صرف اعلانات پر ہی اکتفا کرے گی۔پیپلز پارٹی کو گلگت بلتستان کی بڑی پارٹی تصور کیا جاتا ہے اور مشرف دور حکومت میں پیپلز پارٹی اور مسلم لیگ(ن) کے رہنمائوں نے بڑے وعدے کئے ہیں کہ ہم گلگت بلتستان کی 61 سالہ محرومیوں کے خلاف کسی قسم کی مصلحت کا شکار نہیں ہوں گے۔ وقت آ گیا ہے کہ عوام سے کئے گئے وعدوں کو پورا کیا جائے ورنہ پاکستان کے سیاسی نظام اور خود پاکستانی عوام سے نفرت کا آغاز ہو جائے گا جو رواں صدی کا سب سے بڑا سانحہ ہو گا۔
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April 26, 2008 at 5:39 pm (EDITORIAL)
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Saturday, April 26—-May 2, 2008
Editorial
FEDERAL Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Qamaruz Zaman Kaira’s promises made with the people of Gilgit-Baltistan during his recent visit to the area seem prototype and `conditional’ like the ones committed by the successive governments in the past. The people of this region were expecting that after formation of the new democratic government, the 100-day plan announced by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani would also be extended to Gilgit-Baltistan, but the minister’s visit to the area has further increased people’s reservations and apprehensions regarding Islamabad’s actual intentions in the region. The minister announced to withdraw army personnel from the civilian institutions of the region within 90 days and bring a package for the area but remained silent on announcing any steps aimed to end over 60 years of deprivation and restore national identity of the region. Though he said steps would be taken to bring the region at par with all provinces of Pakistan, but at the same time he termed the issue of giving provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan sensitive and indicated to debate the matter in parliament.
Gilgit-Baltistan, whose future is linked to the larger Kashmir issue, has been kept deprived of all basic human, social, economic, political and constitutional rights for the last over six decades. It should be kept in mind that the future of this region has to be decided by the political leadership and people of Gilgit-Baltistan not by Pakistani ministers and rulers. We should not expect that the rulers of Pakistan would ever compromise on their own interests and give relief to the area people in accordance with their aspirations, because state has its own priorities and the rulers can at best improve upon the steps taken by previous setups. For sure, they have no tangible solutions to the issues of constitutional, economic, social and national identity. Had it been possible for any ruler to do so, President Musharraf was well placed to at least implement his own announcements. Based on all these facts, it can be noted that if the present government wants to take steps for the development of Gilgit-Baltistan, it would have to take a different path than treaded by the previous governments because unlike in the past the area is now politically awaken. The real issues of the region cannot be further sidelined and the people cannot be kept entangled in non-issues to divert their attention from real problems. Now, it is time to take stringent steps to end human rights violations, establish true democratic institutions, end poverty, unemployment and improve the socio-economic conditions of the people. For all these to happen, the right to self-rule should be transferred to the local people. As a first step, establishment of an independent constituent assembly and withdrawal of cases against nationalist leaders are mandatory. The government’s conciliatory approach started in all provinces including Balochistan should also be extended to Gilgit-Baltistan and cases registered against nationalist leaders of the region should be abolished. Particularly, we would like to mention the name of Balawaristan National Front (BNF) Charman Abdul Hamid Khan, who has been living in exile for the last ten years. The present democratic government should drop all cases against Abdul Hamid Khan and allow him to return to his motherland without any fear and apprehension. Similarly, there are hundreds of other nationalist leaders against whom cases are registered in the region. It is high time the government withdrew all such cases and start a new beginning of national reconciliation. The leaders of PPP and the PML-N had made tall claims of bringing revolutionary changes in the area during the regime of Prevez Musharraf and they have now got the opportunity to fulfill these promises and give the people their due rights which they have been denied on one pretext or the other for the last over six decades.
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April 26, 2008 at 5:37 pm (NEWS)
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Saturday, April 26—-May 2, 2008
By Our Correspondent
KARACHI: Former president of Balawaristan National Students Organization (BNSO) Rahat Ali Shah has said the Karachi Agreement 1949 could be a handiwork of the then Pakistan minister without portfolio Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani, Muslim Conference president Ghulam Abbas and the so-called Azad Kahmir’s ex-president Sardar Ibrahim Khan but the people of Gilgit-Baltistan had nothing to do with the document.
He said when asked about the agreement, Sardar Ibrahim had later declared his dissociation from the agreement. Mr Shah said that in 1947 the government of Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan and exactly two years later on April 28, 1949 tried to hoodwink the world under the garb of the so-called Karachi Agreement.
He said the way government of Pakistan had been playing a dirty game with the people of Gilgit-Baltistan for the last about six decades, making the Karachi agreement as a shield, was unprecedented in the history of the world.
The people of the region still remain in chains and they should not be further hoodwinked through the introduction of so-called constitutional packages. Similar plethora of papers prepared by the successive governments during the last many decades instead of bringing changes to the lives of the people have further added to their miseries.
He said if the present democratic government really wants to do something for the region it should as a first step transfer self-rule powers to the people and end rampant violations of human rights in Gilgit-Baltistan. Besides, he added, revolutionary steps are needed to bring changes in the socio-economic condition of the people.
He demanded that the medical, technical and intermediate colleges should be set up at the tehsil level and all intermediate colleges in the region should be upgraded to the degree level. Due to absence of job opportunities, a large number of youth after graduation remain unemployed and have become overage.
The government should create jobs for the youth and extend the maximum age limit to by five to six years, he added. Mr Shah said quota reserved in different educational institutions for the area should be increased and students from Gilgit-Baltistan should be sent abroad on scholarship for higher education.
He also demanded that Balawaristan’s history should be included in the syllabus of the Karakoram International University, so that the new generation could become aware of their history.
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April 26, 2008 at 5:36 pm (NEWS)
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Saturday, April 26—-May 2, 2008
By Our Correspondent
GILGIT: Chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement Manzoor Hussin Parwana has said Gilgi-Baltistan is passing through a critical and decisive period and its political independence and identity have become part of the international agenda.
Speaking at a press conference here, he said the world’s human rights organizations, the International Crisis Group and European Parliament are now debating and raising finger at political, constitutional and socio- economic conditions of Gilgit-Baltistan. However, unfortunately, the so-called public representatives of the area are still acting as puppets of the Pakistani government.
The 60-year-old colonial system in the region has ruined and paralyzed the indigenous economic, social and cultural life and the obsolete system imposed on the region by the government of Pakistan has completely failed to ensure basic rights of the people.
Mr Parwana said Gilgit-Baltistan is not part and parcel of Pakistan but even then Islamabad has been entering into various treaties and contracts with China and was executing various projects in the region including the widening of Karakoram Highway, Diamer-Basha Dam and lying of railway lines over the region. It is very surprising that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan have completely been kept in the dark about the agreements between the two countries. “We may support such projects with our reservations and conditions.
“I want to convey the message to China through this press conference that Gilgit-Baltistan does not come under the ambit of the constitution of Pakistan due to its status as a disputed part of the Kashmir problem. Therefore, China should not inter into any agreement with the government of Pakistan without the consent of the people of Gilgit -Baltistan.”
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April 26, 2008 at 5:35 pm (NEWS)
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Saturday, April 26—-May 2, 2008
By Our Correspondent
GILGIT: By constructing thousands of megawatts of electricity at cheaper rate in various parts of Gilgit-Baltistan not only the problem of electrcity loadshedding can be overcome but also wide ranging socio-development opportunties can be opened in the region.
This was stated by by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Northern Areas chapter president and member Legislative Assembly Hafiz Hafizur Rehman while talking to party delegations from various parts of the region here.
He said the geographical features of Gilgit-Baltistan resembled with that of Norway which today earns billions of dollars’ foreign exchange by exporting electricity to other European countries and has become one of the welfare states of the world.
He said a feasibility report on construction of 30 MW electricity on River Gilgit at Hanzal had been prepared. He said his party wanted that work on the project should be started without delay because people of Gilgit-Baltistan had been facing power shortage for the last many years. He asked the government to invite the private sector to launch development projects in the area.
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April 26, 2008 at 5:33 pm (NEWS)
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Saturday, April 26—-May 2, 2008
ISLAMABAD: Germany will send experts to train the local youth in mining and gems cutting and polishing. Officials at the German embassy in Islamabad said modern tecnology would also be provided to develop mining in the region which is rich in untapped natural resources.
The German officials were talking to a delegation of Northern Areas Gems Stones and Minerals Association led by association general secretary Sifat Shah.
The German officials stressed the need to continue exchange of delegations in order to highlight the region’s resources at the international level.
They also said a team would visit Gilgit-Baltistan soon to have a first-hand information on the resources. The delegation said by developing the resources of the region long-term improvement could be made in the socio-economic condition of the area. They thanked the German official for committing to help them exploit the untapped resorces of the region for the welfare of the people.
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April 26, 2008 at 5:31 pm (NEWS)
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Saturday, April 26—-May 2, 2008
GILGIT: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Qamaruz Zaman Kaira during his visit to Gilgit-Baltistan said the issue of giving provincial status to the region was sensitive and a decision in this regard would be taken only after consulting constitutional experts.
He said if needed the constitutional status of the region could be debated in the parliament. During his address to the Northern Areas Legislative Assembly after taking oath as its chairman and later talking to local media persons, Mr Kaira dwelt at length on the issues of the region and his government’s plan to bring reforms to the region. The minister said he would soon visit all the district of the region to apprise himself of the local issues. He said democratic culture would be promoted in the region to end polarization in society. He said to bring drastic changes in the area foreign firms would be invited to launch development works in the area. About the Diamer dam, he said the demands of the affected people would be looked into and their reservations allayed.
He said his government would introduce further constitutional reforms in the area. He said his government believed in respecting public mandate and the present setup in the Northern Areas would not be disturbed.
The minister asked the Army Monitoring Teams to complete their work within 90 days in the region. After this period, they would have no role in the area. The minister said in accordance with the demand of the assembly, a Public Account Committee would start functioning from July 1.
He told the house that a committee headed by Secretary Kashmir Affairs had been constituted to work out a mechanism as to how much more powers could be delegated to the assembly and to what extent the administrative as well as financial powers of its speaker could be enhanced.
He also announced that from now onward the Northern Areas Legislative Assembly would prepare budget as is done by other legislative assemblies.
“As far as enhancement of development budget from Rs4 billion to Rs6 billion is concerned, I would take up this matter with the relevant quarters. At the same time, other resources will also be explored,” he assured the house.
Mr Kaira said he was aware of the hardships being faced by the newly-created districts due to shortage of manpower and, “therefore, approve the filling of required vacancies on an emergency basis.”
Mr Kaira said he would also take up the boundary dispute of Shandur and Diamer-Bhasha dam with the government of NWFP for amicable resolution.
He said relevant departments had already been directed to start work on establishment of road networks and expansion of the Karakoram Highway.
He said measures would be taken to curb illegal cutting of forests and a public-friendly policy shall be evolved. He said he would personally look after reforestation in the region so that more saplings are planted. He said nature has bestowed the area with huge water resources and the government would harness it to produce maximum energy.
The minister said vocational trainings for unemployed youth was top priority of the government.
PML-N: Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Northern Areas chapter president Hafizur Rehman has said they have presented their demands to the federal minister during his visit to the area. He expressed the hope that the minister would resolve most of the issues before May 5, when the representatives of PML-N and the PPP would meet in Islamabad and hold a meeting with Mr Kaira.
He said people from all walks of life in Gilgit-Baltistan have asked Mr Kaira to withdraw army personnel from the civilian institutions and abolish the army monitoring system in the region. He said they have also demanded that the scope of the assembly should be extended from the current 47 subjects.
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April 26, 2008 at 5:30 pm (NEWS)
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Saturday, April 26—-May 2, 2008
By Our Correspondent
SKARDU: Twelve people were killed and many others injured in two separate traffic accidents involving passenger vehicles going to Skardu and Gilgit from Islamabad and Peshawar on Wednesday.
In the first accident, seven people, two of them women, lost their lives and 15 others were injured when a coaster plunged into a ditch in Battagram.
Sources said the passenger coaster was going to Skardu from Islamabad when it fell into the ravine because of rain.
Those killed were identified as Sipahi Maqsood of Punjab, and Lance Naik Ghulam Abbas, Mohammad Zahid, Mohammad Riaz, Hussain, Asif and Haider of Baltistan.
The injured were taken to a Battagram hospital. Two of them were shifted to an Abbottabad hospital because of their critical condition.
In the second accident, five people were killed when a pickup fell into a deep ravine in the Pattan area.
The pickup was going from Peshawar to Gilgit when it met the accident.
The Pattan police and local people retrieved the bodies and handed them over to their relatives.
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April 26, 2008 at 5:28 pm (NEWS)
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.
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April 26, 2008 at 5:27 pm (NEWS)
Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Saturday, April 26—-May 2, 2008
By Our Correspondent
GILGIT: Welcoming restoration of democracy in Pakistan after a long period of dictatorship, Balawaristan National Front leader and Gilgit-Baltistan Democratic Alliance general secretary Burhanullah has said the deprived people in the country have high expectations from the new government.
He said the people of Gilgit-Baltistan who have been deprived of their basic rights for the last over six decades also expect that the new setup would bring about real changes in the area and announce a constitutional package fulfilling the aspirations of the public. He said people of the area were fed up with the so-called packages the successive governments introduced only to hoodwink the people and achieve their own vested interests.
He referred to the recent announcement of Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas QamaruzZaman Kaira asking the army monitoring teams to wind up within 90 days and said the minister should have also announced immediate withdrawal of army officers from civilian organizations of Gilgit-Baltistan. Besides, he added, politically-motivated cases are being withdrawn in all parts of the country but a large number of people in Gilgit-Baltistan still face fabricated cases which also need to be abolished. He asked the federal government to withdraw cases registered against political leaders, workers and activists in Gilgit-Baltistan and ensure freedom of expression in the area.
He said the people of the region did not need constitutional packages but a powerful and independent assembly, so that they could decide their future themselves.
Expressing his reservation over the construction of Diamer-Basha Dam in the region, he said as the reservoir was being built in Diamer the word Basha should be deleted from its name. He said a written agreement should be signed with the people to give all royalty of the dam to Gilgit-Baltistan. He said under a conspiracy to give a share in the royalty to NWFP, the word Basha had been added to the dam’s name.
The site where the dame is being made is the property of Diamer district and the area called Basha is actually a pasture of Thor village of Diamer. Basha, he clarified, is the name of a small village situated about 18 kilometres away in Kohistan district of the NWFP. He said under a conspiracy in 1972 some areas falling in the district of Diamer were included in Kohistan.
He demanded that before construction of the dam, the boundary between Gilgit-Baltisan and the NWFP should be demarcated.
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