Slogans of independence reverberated across Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), reflecting the region’s deepening resentment against the exploitative policies of the Paki establishment. Decades of systematic neglect, combined with the recent introduction of a controversial land reform bill, have exacerbated the anger of local residents, who now view Islamabad’s control as a colonial stranglehold on their resources and future.
The newly proposed land reform bill has sparked outrage for its blatant disregard of local rights and its opaque provisions. Lawyers and activists have condemned the bill, highlighting its potential to allow the government to seize both partible and impartible lands, with the bill’s vague definitions deliberately leaving room for abuse. Points 1, 2, and 4 of the bill, as cited by the lawyers, are particularly egregious, posing direct threats to the personal interests of the residents. Adding insult to injury, the bill includes provisions exempting its representatives from impeachment or legal accountability, enabling unchecked corruption. These representatives are mere puppets of the occupied-government, serve Islamabad’s interests at the expense of their own people.
Legal professionals and bar associations across PoGB, including the Gilgit-Baltistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association, have united in protest, demanding urgent amendments to safeguard public interests, particularly in the region’s unsettled areas, where the bill’s implications are most damaging. Among the most controversial provisions is the appointment of a non-local secretary planner, a move that disregards the unique jurisdictional needs of PoGB and further alienates its people.
PoGB Demands Freedom
Meanwhile, the exploitation of PoGB’s rich natural resources continues unabated. The region, known for its vast deposits of gold, copper, and rare earth minerals, has become a target for foreign entities operating under Islamabad’s watchful eye. These extraction projects are shrouded in secrecy, with no transparency or consultation with local communities. As minerals are siphoned off to line the pockets of the Punjabi elite, the people of PoGB are left impoverished and powerless, excluded from any share in their own wealth.
The situation is worsened by the abysmal state of infrastructure and basic services in the region. Roads and bridges lie in disrepair, and development projects are perpetually delayed or abandoned. Education, a critical tool for empowerment, has been weaponized against the people of PoGB. A deliberate recruitment ban on new teachers has left students struggling without adequate instruction, a calculated move to suppress education and prevent the population from challenging Islamabad’s oppressive control.
While the people of PoGB endure exploitation and neglect, political and religious leaders across the region remain conspicuously silent. Their complicity speaks volumes about their allegiance to Islamabad, prioritizing their political survival over the welfare of the people they claim to represent.
The Paki establishment’s deliberate strategy to suppress the region—economically, politically, and socially—is a stark reminder of its exploitative agenda. For the people of PoGB, the path forward lies in resistance, as their voices grow louder in demanding autonomy, dignity, and justice.