Large scale protests have been registered in entire Gilgit Baltisan region against Pakistan for transferring thousands of kanals of land in Gilgit to Pakistan intelligence agency ISI and Force Command Northern Areas (FCNA). More than 20,000 kanals of land in Jandali area of Gilgit are for sale to these two agencies on throw away prices and the intentions are much larger than what meets the eye. Local political parties have said that this is the continuation of the process of changing the demographic complexion of the Northern Areas. A similar situation is prevailing in another village Minaur too. Although 800-900 kanals of land was taken away from the villagers, still 300 kanals more have been taken for the firing range. Local people say that the land has not been occupied by covert tricks, but by blatant hooliganism. All this is being done under the pretext of facilitating the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Pakistan is committing several violations by adopting the policy of grabbing Gilgit land. Firstly, it is violation of the Sate Subject law to which the political leaders of Gilgit have alluded. Those who will be settled on the transferred land will be Pakistan nationals. Secondly, Gilgit Baltistan is actually part of the original State of Jammu and Kashmir. Under UNSC resolutions no demographic change will be brought about till final settlement of the dispute. Reports are that proper fencing of the land acquired by the Pakistan military has been done. In order to appease the Chinese and assist them in completing their dream CPEC project, people were threatened, beaten and were forced to make a compromise with the Pakistan establishment.
We think that the attempt of Pakistan Government to arbitrarily take away the land from the land owners in Gilgit and sell it to the army and ISI at throw away prices is a blatant violation of human rights and also against the UN resolutions on Kashmir. Therefore the Ministry of External Affairs will be more than justified in lodging a protest with the UNSC saying that Pakistan is deliberately violating the relevant resolutions and trying to change the demographic complexion of an area which India considers its own. We have to lodge a protest with Pakistan also.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel