Dependency on others Gilgit, Baltistan’s Achilles’ heel

Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Karachi Satuarday, August 2—–August 2008
(Editorial)
It is now clear that the world is at the verge of a new political, social and military turmoil due to worst ever shortage of food. The whole world is faced with a food crisis which is getting worse day by day. Though Pakistan is basically an agricultural country but it is also facing food crisis. For the last over one year, the nation has been facing wheat flour shortage and there are no indications the problem would be resolved soon.The major factor is that the country has failed to meet the food needs of its increasing population. In such a scenario, people of Gilgit-Baltistan are even badly affected as they cannot meet their food requirements on their own. Agriculture in the region is facing problems and the area produces a few vegetables and food that too on a limited scale but major cereal crops like wheat, rice and pulses etc are difficult to produce due to geographical characteristics of the region. As a result, we entirely depend on Pakistan to meet our food requirements. The region is run administratively by a handful of Pakistani bureaucrats who have no concerns about the area’s food requirements. If we purchase the food items from big cities and transport them to the region we have no facilities to store them for long. If the food supply line from Pakistan is disconnected for a single day the whole area would face starvation. This is our weakest point, which has been termed the real cause of our region’s perpetual slavery for the last many decades. It is a conspiracy that to subjugate Gilgit-Baltistan the region has been made totally dependable for everything particularly for the supply of food items on Pakistan.For the last 61 years no proper steps have been made to increase the production of food items and promote agriculture in the area despite the fact that Gilgit-Baltistan is gifted with abundance of natural resources.There are millions of acres of barren land in every district of the region which can easily be brought under cultivation to meet the food requirements. With the increase in the population, the government has not taken any steps to enhance food items’ storage capacity in the area.Moreover, wheat cannot be purchased directly rather PASCO supplies the commodity to the area after taking permission from the federal government. The quota for supply of wheat is also based on outdated figures of population and has not been increased in proportion to the population growth. In short, the government has deliberately made the area dependent on Islamabad for every single commodity.It is unfortunate that due to government’s policies, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan are distancing themselves from Pakistan. It is high time the government as well as the private sector come forward and took immediate steps to end the food shortage crisis in the region on a permanent basis. The situation also warrants the attention of world forums especially the United Nations, so that the people of this strategically located region did not remain deprived of their basic rights.

Govt policies alienating youth of Gilgit, Baltistan

Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Karachi Satuarday, August 2—–August 2008
By Our Correspondent
SKARDU: Chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement (GBUM) Manzoor Hussain Parwana has said the arrest of Ghulam Shahzad Agha showed the frustration of the Skardu administration over the popular struggle of nationalist forces in the region. He said the double standard of the local administration was causing a wide gulf between the new generation of Gilgit-Baltistan and the rulers of Pakistan.In a press statement issued here, Mr Parwana said the workers of federalist political parties including the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were freely moving in the region with their vehicles hoisted with party flags while the nationalist leaders and activists were rounded up on concocted charges. He pointed out that Gilgit-Baltistan was not part of Pakistan and the free movement and activities of workers and activists of Pakistani political parties in the region was illegal and unconstitutional.He invited all federalist political parties to come forward and launch a joint struggle for achievement of basic rights for the people of the region instead of wasting their energies and resources on unimportant and unachievable objectives. He said due to poor policies on Gilgit-Baltistan, the government of Pakistan was facing troubles at the national and international levels. He said Islamabad was also facing world pressure due to human rights violations in Giolgit-Baltistan.He said that looking at the plundering of resources of the region at the hands of Pkistani rulers it seemed that the rulers had realised the writing on the wall and were trying to put their hands on whatever resources available to them.Otherwise there was no justification for opening the doors of leases for multinational companies by violating national and norms and rules and regulations, he added.He said nationalist forces in the region were getting unprecedented public support. He asked the people to stand up against plundering of their resources and protect them for the coming generations. Mr Parwana further said nationalist forces of the region were getting public support from all parts of the region and people were backing the agenda of GBDA and all nationalist parties have agreed on a one-point agenda of an independent state assembly for Gilgit-Baltistan.

Speaker slams govt policies

Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Karachi Satuarday, August 2—–August 2008
By Our Correspondent
GILGIT: Speaker Northern Areas Legislative Assembly Mohammad Miskeen has said due to wrong policies of the bureaucracy at the ministry of Kashmir affairs and Northern Areas, nationalist forces in Gilgit-Baltistan are gaining popularity in the region.He said if the officials of the KANA division did not change their policies, it may become possible one day that you (the nationalists) and we would be united in a single platform and launch a struggle for the rights of the region.He expressed these views while speaking as chief guest at a peace conference organised by the Karakoram Students Organisation at Gilgit Press Club.He said before launching a struggle to gain constitutional rights we should have unity in our ranks. He said in the year 2005 violence hit this six-km area and soon engulfed the whole region. Whenever violence spreads in the region it never remains confined to a single locality but spread to the whole region and affects the masses.He said before 2005, there were two forces by the names of Anjuman-i-Imamia and Tanzeem-i-Ahle Sunnat and if even a cracker was detonated we would go to our camps. He said after the 2005 incidents we gathered intellectuals, lawyers, politicians and after consulting religious organisations formed a Jirga and reached an agreement in the lights of talks held between the two parties during the past 20 years. Later, we spread the messages of love, brotherhood, peace and education to the masses. These efforts yielded positive results, he added.He said it was a result of public maturity that after the recent killing of member legislative assembly Himayatullah, the people remained calm and did not took the law into their own hands and the elders of both the groups condemned the incident. Speaking on the occasion, member legislative assembly Dr Muzaffar said the people of Gilgit-Baltistan understand what is good and what is bad for them. He said the people are now aware of the conspiracies which were hatched to divide them in the past. He said for the first time President Musharraf has acknowledged that Gilgit-Baltistan is a disputed area. Praising the role of the grand peace Jirga, he said the prevailing peace in the region was a result of the peace Jirga.Wazir Mohammad Shafi said to achieve rights and fight against injustices, the masses should be aware of their rights. He said whenever the people of this region get united for their rights conspiracies are hatched to divide them.Col (retired) Ndir Hassan said to take forward the struggle for political rights we need to safeguard our national identity. He said history showed that there were no sectarian clashes in the region.Karakoram National Movement president Mohammad Iqbal Advocate said China was becoming a super power and to reach its borders and contain its strength, a number of propaganda campaigns had been launched. He said the rumour of Osama’s presence in the K2 was part of the international conspiracy.

Budget making: minister backs out of his words on empowering legislators

Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Karachi Satuarday, August 2—–August 2008

By A Correspondent
GILGIT: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Qamar Zaman Kaira, who is also chairman of the Northern Areas Legislative Assembly, has backed out of his words given on the floor of the house that from now onwards budget of the region would be prepared by the legislators.“I assure you, the lawmakers, that you would prepare the budget of the next financial year. We want political empowerment in the region,” he had held out the assurance in the legislative assembly after taking oath as chairman of the office.However, the Finance Department released non-development budget without getting even approval of the house. “We have released a Rs5 billion non-developmental budget and as far as the single entry budget promise of the federal government is concerned it is brought in the pink book,” Secretary Finance Syed Mutahir Shah said.He said it was a technical matter and this time round it was not possible to present the budget in the assembly. On the other hand, the Northern Areas Executive Development Committee is expected to meet on Thursday, as the Planning and Development Department of Gilgit-Baltistan is making arrangements to hold a meeting with the federal minister in the chair, official sources said.The meeting would finalise Annual Development Plan and Chairman Northern Areas Qamar Zaman Kaira would approve the ADP of current year which would be conveyed to the Finance Division to get uplift funds of first quarter of the financial year, added the sources. “We have drafted the Annual Development Plan that would be approved by the federal minister. It has nothing to do with the lawmakers of Northern Areas Legislative Assembly,” a senior official of the Planning and Development Department said.However, Northern Areas Good Governance Order 1994 (NAGO) announced by President Pervez Musharraf last year, which replaced the Legal Framework Order, also ensured participation and approval of lawmakers in the budget making process.NAGO 1994’s Article 17-D sheds light on the matter of budget approval and says: “Annual budget allocated ‘shall’ be presented before the assembly in the form of a statement.” Resentment among the members of legislative assembly is mounting day by day and there is a likelihood of strong agitation if the issue is not resolved amicably.Another announcement made by the minister in regard to the functioning of Public Accounts Committee has also not been implemented. And the third promise was related to the approval of Rules of Procedure and Business of NALA that is also pending.

Transfer of anthropology institute condemned

Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Karachi Satuarday, August 2—–August 2008

By Our Correspondent
KARACHI: The Karakoram National Movemnet (KNM) Sindh chapter’s general secretary Faqir Hussain Chandio has said aniti-Karakoram forces are out to change the geography of the region.He said the transfer of the anthropology institute from Diamer valley of Karakoram to the Hazara University was one such step. He condemned the move and termed it a conspiracy against the region.Mr Chandio was speaking at the annual meeting of Karakoram National Movemnet Sindh at a hotel in Karachi. He said the institute had been carrying out research work in the area for the last over twenty years. He said under the guidance of Prof Dr Ahmad Hasan Dani, the researchers had collected a wealth of data about the geography and culture of Karakoram.One Shakil Durrani, who now works in the Diamer-Basha Dam, was among the researchers and was instrumental in handing over the data to the vice-chancellor of the Hazara University, who is his close relative.He said the institute should have been transferred to the Karakoram International University for promotion of cultural heritage of the area.A large number of KNM workers and activists attended the meeting.

Flour crisis persists

Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Karachi Satuarday, August 2—–August 2008

By A Correspondent
GILGIT: Tall claims of the local administration and the food department notwithstanding, wheat flour has altogether vanished from the markets of Gilgit-Baltistan.“It is strange that in spite of nominal wheat quota flour was available in the markets in the past but at present despite allocation of a huge quantity of 120,000 metric tons there is a crisis of atta in the region,” President Flour Mills Association Shaukat Akbar said at a press conference here.He made special mention of Rs600 million subsidies from the federal government in wheat procurement to extend relief to the residents of these remote and far-flung areas. He said the total quantity of wheat did not reach the region and disappeared somewhere on the way. The flour mill owners, who ended a two-day strike recently, pointed out a variation in prices of flour at various districts and held the food department responsible for the crisis.“The mill owners are responsible for the scarcity of flour in the markets,” Muniruddin, Director Food, who is facing an inquiry in embezzlement as well as malpractices cases and has been appointed on contractual basis after retirement, told a press conference in Skardu. However, Senior Superintendent of Police District Diamer Ali Sher said that atta was being smuggled to other parts of the country under the patronage of the food department officials.“Police caught red-handed some mill owners who were smuggling flour to NWFP and registered cases against them. We wrote to the director food to blacklist the accused and cancel their licences and take legal action against them but nothing was done against them, and why would they do because they are facilitating the mafia and enjoying full share in the profit earned through smuggling,” Sher alleged.He said the area was not supplied with its full quota and in collaboration with the food department the mafia was misappropriating about 40 per cent of the total quota during its supply to the region. It is learnt that mill owners use bags with trade mark of the mills of Punjab and NWFP and sell the subsidised commodity at high rates in other parts of country. But the officials of the food department turn a blind eye to the issue.When contacted, senior officials of Northern Areas administration however said there was no shortage of flour.

Shaheed Lalek Jan’s village cries for basic facilities

Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Karachi Satuarday, August 2—–August 2008

By Our Correspondent
YASEN: The proud native village of Lalek Jan Shaheed, Nishan-i-Haider, still remains deprived of basic necessities of life thanks to the apathy of the government and the elected representatives of the area.A visit to the Hondur village shows that the government has failed to honour the sacrifices rendered by the brave sons of the soil for the defence of the motherland. High ranking civilian and military officials regularly come to the mausoleum of Lalek Jan but they have so far ignored the sufferings of the locals. Talking to Bang-i-Shara’s correspondent, Nambardar Maqsad Ali Khan, members Union Council; Zarawar Khan, Shakor Khan; former UC chairman Shikrat Ali Shah, Master Ali Madad Shah, Mohammad Nabi, Mirza Wali, Shakor Ali Khan, Gul Sambar Khan and Dinar Khan said a dispensary after the name of Shaheed Lalek Jan had been set up for Hondur and Salgan, which has a population of over 35,000. But the dispensary has still not been provided with necessary facilities due to the discriminatory policies of the local health department. They said a medical officer has been appointed in the centre but he most of the time remains absent. Besides, no dispenser has been appointed and the post still lies vacant. Due to the policies of the district health officer Ghizer, the people of Hondur are facing the absence of basic health facilities. They said non-appointment of staff and non-provision of supplies to the health facility showed that the Ghizer health department officials had no regards for the sufferings of the people. They said despite complaints and reminders lodged with the government on a number of occasions, no steps have been taken to resolve the issue. They said Northern Areas adviser for health during a visit to the dispensary had made tall claims about provision of all facilities and staff to the centre, but his promises also remained unfulfilled.They said the project of Lalek Jan Public School also remained in the doldrums as despite passage of many years the school building has not been completed neither trained teachers have been appointed. At present, a few teachers are handling hundreds of students in the school. The school is still without a laboratory and library. The school should have been upgraded but the project has also fell prey to the apathy of the education department authorities.As the area faces shortage of health care facilities, no steps have been taken to set up a free medical camp in the area despite the fact the Pakistan Army has established a number of free medical camps in other areas of the region. They said the village of Shaheed Lalek Jan has also been ignored in this regard.Moreover, the people of Hondur are facing shortage of wheat. The under-construction wheat godown in Hondur remains incomplete due to shortage of funds. The walls of the gowdown had been raised by the contractor himself but the government has still not provided funds for completion of its roof. A villager had provided land for the construction of the gowdown in the hope that he would be provided a job, but he also runs from pillar to post now since then.

Rulers blamed for crisis, says BLP

Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Karachi Satuarday, August 2—–August 2008

By Our Correspondent
GILGIT: The present rulers are responsible for bringing the country at the verge of destruction and making the lives of the people miserable due to unbridled inflation and poverty.This was stated by chief organizer Balawaristan Labour Party and former president Northern Areas High Court Bar Association Ehsan Ali Advocate while talking to Bang-i-Sahar. He said due to the wrong policies of the government the country had reached at a point of no return.He said unemployment, inflation, deteriorating law and order situation and terrorism were the gifts of the rulers. He said until the poor of the country were made masters of their destiny these problems would remain unresolved. He said people should rise and snatch power from the rulers in order to overcome the crises.He said in the February elections people had pinned high hopes on the PPP and the PML-N but the two parties shattered the hopes of the masses and created a situation in which the public had no way to live a decent life.He said after 100 days of the government, the rulers have failed to solve any single problem relating to the masses.He said the rulers were fulfilling the agenda of the imperialist forces and people should come forward to change the very system in order to get rid of the crises.He said his party was trying to rid the masses of the obsolete system by creating awareness in the region.

SHRI BADAT- The Great king

Weekly Bang-e-Sahar Karachi Satuarday, August 2—–August 2008
Blossoming the mystified silhouette of the Trojan ruler of Gilgit
Efforts for resurfacing and building upon the ancient impeccable history of Gilgit-Baltistan (Bolor) is very important for the futuristic paradigm, so as to galvanize political activism. For this a deep insight is required into numerous available written accounts mentioned in old chronicles of Sanskrit Puranas, Kalhana’s Rajatarangini, Persian Tarikhs, Chinese Records, Sikh-Dogra sponsored historical written accounts, British era Gazetteers, Travelogues and modern day research works. The picked and sifted material is to be collated, matched against geographical realities and weighed in the perspective of changing socio-religious trends and values.The prevalent oral tales in the society of Gilgit, adore and at the same time bemoan this ancient most remembered Raa (Ruler) of Gilgit. Many legends and myths about him are cropping up even at present juncture of time, as in 2002, some adventurous youth of Gilgit climbed up the steep Southern mountains of Gilgit City Valley and dugged up the masonry abode of this authoritarian and dreaded ruler and found old manuscripts, which they sold very cheaply to Pathan antique smugglers. There can be no denying the fact that Raja Shri or Sri Badat or Bhagat was an aborigine of Dardic race, who ruled Gilgit proper and the adjoining empire in a bewildering manner, before the advent of Islam. There is definitely a link and a relationship between him and the aborigine Su Malik benign dynasty of Tarakhan lineage, who ruled Chitral and Gilgit simultaneously at a similar point of time, immediately before the advent of Islam.In the written records, especially of Mirza Ghufran’s Tarikh-e-Chitral, both Su Malik rulers of Gilgit and Chitral belonged to TaraKhan clan. The name of Azur appears in the regime of both these Emperors i.e. Sri Baghat and Su Malik; perhaps they were the same or from the same aborigine non-Muslim ruling dynasty. It is worth mentioning that the terminology of TaraKhan is used with both the Su Malik rulers of Gilgit and Chitral. On the immediate Northern Karakoram ridge of Gilgit City Valley, towards the western end, there is a huge rock portion giving shape of a trouser with a belt on top i.e. Shalwar and azarband in Urdu.This is attributed to be of Shri Badat. Similarly, on the Southern Hinduraj Mountain ridge of Gilgit, a plateu on quite height is said to be having Polo field of this imposing ruler. All legends and tales point towards one fact that the abode, living habitat of Raa Shri Badat (in present Shina form) was in the Southern mountain Range of Gilgit. The exact boundaries of the famous Karakoram, Hindukush and Himalaya Ranges are a paradox of geographers, but there is no denying the fact that the Southern Mountain Ranges of Gilgit Valley is known as “HINDURAJ” Range; a sharp contrast to “HINDUKUSH”. This authentic name is gradually being given up by Pakistani surveyors. In order to solve the parallax of Sri Bhagat in a willy nilly manner, let us explore “HINDURAJ RANGE” from Gazetteer of Kashmir and Ladak, printed in Calcutta in 1890, under the heading HINDU RAJ, on page 364, it is written, “A name which may conveniently be applied to the great watershed separating Gilgit, Yasin and Chitral on the North, from Kohistan and Shinaka to the South.This range runs from the very bank of the Indus, opposite Bunji, right away to the Kunar Valley. Broadly speaking also, this range may be regarded as the dividing line between Sunnis and Shias, the people to the North being almost entirely Shia. The name Hindu Raj is not one generally known, and may not be altogether correct, but it supplies a want (Tanner-Aylmer)’. It is clearly mentioned on almost all map sheets of the region. Sir Walter Lawrence Bart, G.C.I.E Imperial Gazetteer of India, Kashmir and Jammu 1909. Pages 106, 107, 108. “The ancient name of the site under its Hindu Raas was Sargin. Later it was known as Gilgit, which the Sikhs and Dogras corrupted into Gilgit. The remains of ancient stone buildings and Buddhist carvings suggest that Gilgit was once the seat of a Buddhist or Hindu dynasty, while traces of abandoned cultivation point to the fact that the population in early times was far larger that it is at present. Tradition relates that the last of the Hindu Raas, Sri Badat, known as Adam Khor, the ‘man-eater’, was killed by a Muhammadan adventurer. Sri Badat’s rule is said to have extended to Chitral”. On page 328 of the aforementioned Gazetteer, under heading Gilgit is written, “Its identity with the Gahalats of ancient Sanskrit literature has been suggested. A few remains still exist of ancient stone buildings, apparently of the same description as the Martund and Pandrathan temples in Kashmir. Their presence indicate that a considerable amount of wealth and scientific skill must once have existed in this remote valley, of which not even the tradition has survived. The former rulers had the title of Ra, and there is a reason to suppose that they were at one time Hindus. The names of the Hindu Ras have been lost, with the exception of the last of their number, Shiri Badutt. Tradition relates that he was killed by a Muhammadan adventurer, who married his daughter (Noor Bakht) and founded a new dynasty, since called Trakhane named after a Hindu ruler of 14th century. According to traditions, Sihri Badutt’s rule extended over Chitral, Yasin, Tangir, Darel, Chilas, Gor, Astor, Hunza, Nagar and Haramosh, all of which were probably held by tributary princess of the same family.” In order to draw a comparison between the Hindu and Budhist ancient rulers of Gilgit, let us examine the famous book by Prof E.M.Hassnain, “ Gilgit- The Northern Gate of India”. On page 15, under heading ‘Religion’, it is written, “Gilgit is now largely inhabited by the followers of Islam but during ancient times, they followed their ancient faiths. In fact, after its extinction in Kashmir, Buddhism found a refuge in Dardistan.This region was ruled over by the Sahi Princess, who founded many Buddhist stupas in and around Gilgit in the 6th Century. Among the important Sahi rulers of Gilgit, may be mentioned, Deve Sahi, Lalleya Sahi, Bhima Sahi, who patronized Budhism”. Let us now examine some disjointed notes on Shri Badat mentioned in Captain.H.Godfrey’s Report on the Gilgit Agency (1896-97), Revised by major B.E.M. Gurdon, Political Agent in Gilgit. Published at Simla in 1907. “The history of Gilgit can at the furthest be traced back only for some three and a half centuries.The ancient rock carvings in and near this locality prove that Budhism was at one time the predominant religion of the country through which the upper waters of Indus flow down from Skardu to Chilas, even as it is now of Ladakh and Tibet. Little reliance can indeed be placed upon these old World tales handed down orally from generation to generation. A few scattered yet apparently authentic facts may be gleaned concerning the Hindu Ra s of Sargin. The earliest stories lead back to the sixteenth century when Agmtham was the Buddhist King of Gilgit. He was driven out by Abudagmu of Chalam Kuir, near Rondu, who reigned in his stead. The latter was succeeded by his son Shri Bagartham who was the father of the last Buddhist King of Gilgit, Shri Badat. Shri Badat is said to have been so harsh and despotic in his rule that his cruelties gained for him the name of Adam-Khor, the man-eater. And when the country was invaded by Shamsher and his two brothers Khishrau and Jamshaid, the people rose against him and Shri Badat was forced to fly. He took refuge in Ishkuman where, according to local myths, he still lives among snow and glaciers of the mountains”. Few authenticated facts can also be collected and ascertained from Biddulph’s book on “Tribes of Hindukush” i.e. Shri Bhagat was the real living and existing authenticated ruler of Gilgit with his subrulers from Chitral to Hunza and from Haramosh to Astore and Tangir. Raa dynasty was there and shri was the title of Hindu rulers. Su Malik ruler of Gilgit was son of one Tarakhan. So, it can be safely assumed from this and aforementioned citations that Tarakhan was a Pre Islamic title. The famous Mirza Khan ruler of Gilgit was the grandson of Su Malik, whose sister was famous Queen ruler of Gilgit i.e Grandma Jawahiri. Furthermore, in this book it is also mentioned that in the end of Sixteenth Century or start of Seventeenth Century, before the advent of Islam; a Raa dynasty was ruling Chitral, about whom it was said that they belonged to the same clan, who are the ruling Raa dynasty of Gilgit. Now, let us turn towards the subject of Gilgit as given out by the official historian of Dogra regime, Alhaj Moulvi Hashmat Allah Khan Lakhnavi in Tareekh-e-Jammu.He describes Shri Badat as a Buddhist ruler of Gilgit from 1080 to 1120 A.D, who was from the lineage of Shri Bagortham. Shri Badat constructed the Monument of Lord Budha in Kargah Nullah, in the suburbs of Gilgit. It is said that he constructed such monuments in Punial and Yasin also. Shri Badat’s marvelous palace was situated in the base of Southern mountains of Gilgit, the remains of which can still be found. From the remains of this palace, a Dogra officer named Jawahir Singh, took away a pillar of about two to two and a half yards length and inscribed on it name of Dogra Raja Ranbir Singh and placed it on a highway of Gilgit. He further writes that Shri Badat was so much dreaded by the people of Gilgit that his death was not believed by them and it was rumoured that he has fled to Yasin, where he is alive under the glacier of KatorKhan. Thus, a tradition started that on a given day in a year, fire use to be lit in the whole area so that the soul of Shri Badat should not dare coming to Gilgit.For the last some time this tradition has died down. Lastly, let us examine as to what is mentioned in this regard by the great son of the soil Mirza Mohammad Ghafran in his masterpiece book Tareekh-e-Chitral, in Persian and translated by his son Lt Mirza Ghulam Murtaza in urdu in 1962. He writes that Su Malik One was from the clan of Tara Khan and his great ancestor was a man named Azur. He ruled from Gilgit to Chitral. He was the first and the last ruler of the aborigine Kahoo nation, who ruled the upper Chitral probably in 1610 and 607 A.D. his empire extended from Gilgit to KariMuqam. His rule can be termed as the most blissful rule in the entire history of Kohistan ; a terminology derived from Kahoo. After Su Malik One, his descendants ruled from Chitral to Gilgit, Hunza, Nagir, Chilas, Darel and Tangir. SuMalik Sani was a very famous ruler of this dynasty, whose three sons Hun Rai, was the ruler of Hunza ; Ron Rai was the ruler of Gilgit and Zon Rai was the ruler of Northern Chitral.His descendants are still present in Hunza, Gilgit and Chitral. Five hundred people from the family of Rono are settled in Tangir and two hundred are settled in Bashqar. The ancestors and descendants of SuMalik were all rulers and this was the first and last ruling dynasty of Kahoo Clan, because the Kahoo nation is the oldest original aborigine people of Chitral. The other ruling dynasties of Chitral i.e Raisa and Taimori etc were also old people but they were not originally son of the soil. SuMalik dynasty ruled from Gilgit to Chitral during pre Islamic period in a most comfy and benign manner. The SuMalik dynasty during this period was also ruling Gilgit and adjoining region . SuMalik, Raa of Gilgit, who was the son of TaraKhan, reconquered Varshigum area from Raisa ruling clan. Mr Inayat ullah Faizi of Chitral has confirmed the aforementioned extracts about Su Malik on page 16 and 17 of his book on Chitral published in urdu. The above mentioned facts are also narrated, analyzed and confirmed by the great son of the soil of Gilgit, Late Mr Faqir Mohammad Khan in his book, “The Story Of Gilgit, Baltistan and Chitral”. This is a basic work to piece together various important aspects of the windswept ancient history of the Bolor Country ( Gilgit-Baltistan ). More and more work is required to adjudge, whether mispronounced and inflectioned Sri Bhagat was a beloved or an abhorred ruler of Gilgit? One thing is very certain that he has left indelible marks on the psyche of Gilgitis. Beside him, another non Muslim Ruler of Gilgit, SuMalik is also an acknowledge and acclaimed mighty Ruler of Gilgit.Sri Bhagat’s relationship with Bhudism of Rondhu-Baltistan or perhaps Hinduism of Chitral is yet to be ascertained. Hinduism is an older religion than Bhudism. The efforts in this regard will surely strengthen the much wanted identity of Bolor Country. (www.balawaristan.net)