The People of Gilgit-Baltistan (Baloristan)
Kalabagh Dam has been shelved for another couple of years. And some dams have been marked for construction. Bhasha Dam is one of those. A controversial dam is to be built instead of another of the same nature. This is how it works in Pakistan. The people of Dimair and Chilas, in the northern areas, shall be drowned if the Sindhis have to be saved. Those people who are not, officially and legally, citizens of Pakistan shall die to save the legitimate citizens of this Great Land. The national orphans shall be sacrificed to generate electricity for the proud separatists of Sindh and NWFP. This is one of the many similar rewards for their unconditional accession pledge of 1948.
The government did not stop on this, it named the Dam after a small border village of NWFP: to bestow royalty of the Dam to NWFP government. This is despite of the fact that more than twenty miles land, in length, would be submerged in Diamir district of northern areas including the much adored tourist resorts and historical archeological sites around Chilas. This would effect twenty five villages and above 24,000 people.
Who would stop the government? Who can stop the government? The people of northern areas have no Altaf Hussains and Wali Khans who can leave the government or threaten to demolish the dam with bombs. They are the national orphans, who are meant to sacrifice sons on Kargil and Siachin, and get sectarianism in response. Those who are meant to cry Pakistan, Pakistan, while not being accepted a part of it, those who are poor, deprived and voiceless, the ones who are not represented in the national assembly of Pakistan. The national goats of sacrifice. The goat shall die if the owner is to get favors, in tradition and reality
This country is an irony. The Khan Abdul Wali Khan, who throughout his life chanted Pakistan MurdaBad, is revered like the father of nation. The prime minister terms him to be a leader whose loss would be felt in the entire country. I wonder if ever Khan Baba called this land his country. And on one part is us; the people of northern areas, who have sacrificed two entire units on the Kargil misadventure and hundreds of dear ones in 1965, 1971 wars. And who liberated their land from India and Dogra Raj, on their own, and requested their “Muslim Brothers” to accept its accession. And even after sixty years of the establishment of the country our request remains pending. In the mean time military garrisons have been established over the entire region, making it look like a war zone. Bonji, Gilgit, Skardu, Jaglote have been turned into military towns where the new colonialists come to enjoy their vacations, while laughing at the abject economic state of the locals.
The government gains millions of dollars from the tourists who visit this region for the sack of exploration and advernture while spending nothing on the region. The money is used to build rest houses and Motels where the government officials and other dignitaries come with their wives and children and where the locals work as Chowkidars, Waiters, and dish washers. Nothing has changed for the people of northern areas for the last many centuries but the faces of the visiting Sahabs. The white Angrez have been replaced by the Turnip-colored Pathans and the black Punjabis and Sindhis.
An increasing number of students are joining nationalist organizations in the northern areas. They have the potential of creating problems for the government. And an increasing number of professionals and senior citizens are supporting this nationalist cause in the region. It is an alarming situation. India would not like to miss a chance to arm these angry young students against the state, just like it did in the East Pakistan. The situations resemble too much. It shall be an awakening call for the state and the federation.
Our case is different from the rest of Pakistan. The Baloch might be fighting to get more funds and more jobs. We are fighting to be accepted as Pakistanis not to create any Azad Baluchinstan, or Sindhu Desh or Pakhtounistan of our own. This is the reason that we have never been taken seriously. We are the fruit that is going to fall in your lap now or then. But mind you. It is no more the same. Baloristan National Front is for a separate Baloristan. The flare has been ignited. The government is fueling the flare with its ignorant and, at times, foolish actions. We should better not have opted to become a part of this federation. But we always have the option available to opt for an independent Baloristan, or accession to India. India is heavily present in Kashmir and we have borders with Kashmir. Our call for accession with India may ignite the much hated nuclear war. It is time that people shall break the limbo and make us part of the state, even if for the sake of compromising with the situation.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
National Orphans:
The People of Gilgit-Baltistan (Baloristan)
Kalabagh Dam has been shelved for another couple of years. And some dams have been marked for construction. Bhasha Dam is one of those. A controversial dam is to be built instead of another of the same nature. This is how it works in Pakistan. The people of Dimair and Chilas, in the northern areas, shall be drowned if the Sindhis have to be saved. Those people who are not, officially and legally, citizens of Pakistan shall die to save the legitimate citizens of this Great Land. The national orphans shall be sacrificed to generate electricity for the proud separatists of Sindh and NWFP. This is one of the many similar rewards for their unconditional accession pledge of 1948.
The government did not stop on this, it named the Dam after a small border village of NWFP: to bestow royalty of the Dam to NWFP government. This is despite of the fact that more than twenty miles land, in length, would be submerged in Diamir district of northern areas including the much adored tourist resorts and historical archeological sites around Chilas. This would effect twenty five villages and above 24,000 people.
Who would stop the government? Who can stop the government? The people of northern areas have no Altaf Hussains and Wali Khans who can leave the government or threaten to demolish the dam with bombs. They are the national orphans, who are meant to sacrifice sons on Kargil and Siachin, and get sectarianism in response. Those who are meant to cry Pakistan, Pakistan, while not being accepted a part of it, those who are poor, deprived and voiceless, the ones who are not represented in the national assembly of Pakistan. The national goats of sacrifice. The goat shall die if the owner is to get favors, in tradition and reality
This country is an irony. The Khan Abdul Wali Khan, who throughout his life chanted Pakistan MurdaBad, is revered like the father of nation. The prime minister terms him to be a leader whose loss would be felt in the entire country. I wonder if ever Khan Baba called this land his country. And on one part is us; the people of northern areas, who have sacrificed two entire units on the Kargil misadventure and hundreds of dear ones in 1965, 1971 wars. And who liberated their land from India and Dogra Raj, on their own, and requested their “Muslim Brothers” to accept its accession. And even after sixty years of the establishment of the country our request remains pending. In the mean time military garrisons have been established over the entire region, making it look like a war zone. Bonji, Gilgit, Skardu, Jaglote have been turned into military towns where the new colonialists come to enjoy their vacations, while laughing at the abject economic state of the locals.
The government gains millions of dollars from the tourists who visit this region for the sack of exploration and advernture while spending nothing on the region. The money is used to build rest houses and Motels where the government officials and other dignitaries come with their wives and children and where the locals work as Chowkidars, Waiters, and dish washers. Nothing has changed for the people of northern areas for the last many centuries but the faces of the visiting Sahabs. The white Angrez have been replaced by the Turnip-colored Pathans and the black Punjabis and Sindhis.
An increasing number of students are joining nationalist organizations in the northern areas. They have the potential of creating problems for the government. And an increasing number of professionals and senior citizens are supporting this nationalist cause in the region. It is an alarming situation. India would not like to miss a chance to arm these angry young students against the state, just like it did in the East Pakistan. The situations resemble too much. It shall be an awakening call for the state and the federation.
Our case is different from the rest of Pakistan. The Baloch might be fighting to get more funds and more jobs. We are fighting to be accepted as Pakistanis not to create any Azad Baluchinstan, or Sindhu Desh or Pakhtounistan of our own. This is the reason that we have never been taken seriously. We are the fruit that is going to fall in your lap now or then. But mind you. It is no more the same. Baloristan National Front is for a separate Baloristan. The flare has been ignited. The government is fueling the flare with its ignorant and, at times, foolish actions. We should better not have opted to become a part of this federation. But we always have the option available to opt for an independent Baloristan, or accession to India. India is heavily present in Kashmir and we have borders with Kashmir. Our call for accession with India may ignite the much hated nuclear war. It is time that people shall break the limbo and make us part of the state, even if for the sake of compromising with the situation.
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اگر ممکن ہے تو اپنا تبصرہ تحریر کریں
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