Pakistan government has been spreading the propaganda that if Gilgit-Baltistan becomes a province of Pakistan, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan will get their rights. It is worth pondering over the question as to what rights have been given to Gilgit-Baltistan or to the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) till date.
Let’s first look at the pages of history. Bengal became separate from the subcontinent as part of the existence of Pakistan in the name of Islam and Kalma. And then, as a reward to the Bengalis, it was said that these ‘black-skinned’ fish and rice-eating low-standard Bengalis have begun to show their eyes to us and so “we” will change their race.
When it comes to truth, these contractors of Islam and people who don the military uniform accuse “others” as being agents of India, and then these “others” are portrayed as enemies of Islam. History has shown that Pakistan Army raped millions of Bengalis, and today the same history is being repeated across Balochistan and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). But revolutions can never be subdued by the tactics of colonizers.
The insidious Pakistani Biharis who played the role of front line of Pakistani establishment from the platform of Al-Badr and Al-Shams in crushing the Bengali uprising and revolution against Pakistan are still in the camps of Bangladesh. They are no longer called Pakistani Biharis or Bengalis. Nor are they called Indians. They no longer have an identity. Yes, of course, the brutal Pakistan Army have changed the generations of these Pakistani Biharis and brought them to the brink of destruction.
Today, the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) and Gilgit-Baltistan must think and learn from these historical facts.
Bengalis won their own country Bangladesh when they were deprived of their rights by Pakistan. But the question that needs to be asked is what will happen to the rights of the outsiders who are still calling themselves as Pakistani Biharis in the refugee camps in Bangladesh ?? When will Pakistan give rights to these Pakistani Biharis?
Occupied Balochistan is also known as a province of Pakistan. From the formation of Pakistan till today, Baloch have been fighting for their rights but instead of giving them rights, they are being made to ‘disappear’. Their mutilated bodies are thrown away. Their houses are burnt down. Innocent Baloch people are branded as traitors and forced to beg for life. The Baloch have no right to the natural resources of their own land. Balochistan continues to suffer from poverty and unemployment and famine, despite being rich in gold, silver, gas, copper, gypsum, chromite and coal. Balochistan has far larger reserves of natural mineral resources than Burundi or Congo.
However, the Pakistanis continue with their barbaric policy of Baloch genocide.
If becoming a province gives rights to the people, then why have the Baloch not got these rights till date? That is why the oppressed people of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan must realize that there are some people who want to enjoy being in the Pakistani Parliament. These people have been bargaining interests of the nation for their own personal interests and these people are, in fact, national traitors. They are the traitors of Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.
International law says that every nation has the right to maintain its identity, so why should Gilgit-Baltistan become slaves of Pakistan.
The same is true of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. From the Babra massacre to the present day, from Bacha Khan to Manzoor Pashteen, Pashtuns have been abused and shot dead for demanding their rights. Numerous Pashtuns have been declared as traitors and branded as Afghan, American and Indian agents.
Pashtuns have been demanding their rights for seven decades. Isn’t Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a province of Pakistan? The same is true of the Pakistanis scattered in Karachi who gave up everything at the time of partition and came to Pakistan. These are the same people who made the greatest sacrifices during the creation of Pakistan. And yet they were massacred on a massive scale in the Jinnahpur plot and were called Indian agents.
The situation of Sindhis is similar. The feeling of deprivation is increasing day by day. The condition of Thar is worse than that of Ethiopia. The situation is worse in Sindh. In Sindh, those who talk about Sindh land rights are disappeared and they are killed. Isn’t Sindh a province of Pakistan? Where are the rights of Sindhis? Why Pakistan has not been able to give rights to the Sindhis till today?
All these statements of Pakistani government which claim that people of Gilgit-Baltistan will get their rights if Gilgit-Baltistan becomes a province of Pakistan, is full of lies. In order to break chains of a nation’s slavery, a few of the oppressed people have to raise their voice so that the nation can be freed.
Kashmir’s freedom is only for namesake. This freedom means nothing when all decisions are taken by the GHQ Pakistan.
If it was a matter of rights, then why were Iftikhar Karbalai and Baba Jan, who spoke for the basic legitimate rights of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, put behind bars? Why and on what basis have they been banned?
If Pakistan wants to give rights to Gilgit-Baltistan, then first of all release Baba Jan and Iftikhar Karbalai who spoke for the people’s rights of Gilgit-Baltistan. Freedom of Baba Jan and Iftikhar Karbalai is their fundamental right. The policy of suppression in Gilgit-Baltistan will not be unacceptable.