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85-662: In November 1947, under the command of Major William Brown , the Gilgit Scouts staged a rebellion and overthrew the Governor of Gilgit under the Jammu and Kashmir state. The Muslim element of the State Forces based at Bunji joined the rebels. The Azad Kashmir provisional government took control of the force by sending Colonel Aslam Khan as its commander. The combined force conquered all of Baltistan , giving rise to

170-587: A 'laudable role' in organising a movement for democratic rights among the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan. In the 1988 Gilgit Massacre , groups of Islamist Sunnis, supported by Osama bin Laden , Pervez Musharraf , General Zia-ul Haq and Mirza Aslam Beg slaughtered hundreds of local Shias. In the late 1990s, the President of Al-Jihad Trust filed a petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan to determine

255-414: A constitutional status for their region. In 2016, for the first time in the country's Constitution, Gilgit-Baltistan had been mentioned by name. In September 2020, it was reported that Pakistan decided to elevate Gilgit-Baltistan's status to that of a full-fledged province. The territory of present-day Gilgit-Baltistan became a separate administrative unit in 1970 under the name "Northern Areas". It

340-463: A desire to join Pakistan after gaining independence from Maharaja Hari Singh , Pakistan declined to merge the region into itself because of the territory's link to Jammu and Kashmir . For a short period after joining Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan was governed by Azad Kashmir if only "theoretically, but not practically" through its claim of being an alternative government for Jammu and Kashmir. In 1949,

425-424: A future independent state to match what existed in 1947. India, on the other hand, maintains that Gilgit-Baltistan is a part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir that is "an integral part of the country [India]." Gilgit-Baltistan is administratively divided into three divisions: Baltistan, Diamer and Gilgit, which, in turn, are divided into fourteen districts. The principal administrative centers are

510-644: A lack of public participation in the rebellion, pro-Pakistan sentiments were intense in the civilian population and their anti-Kashmiri sentiments were also clear. According to various scholars, the people of Gilgit as well as those of Chilas, Koh Ghizr , Ishkoman , Yasin , Punial , Hunza and Nagar joined Pakistan by choice. After taking control of Gilgit, the Gilgit Scouts along with Azad irregulars moved towards Baltistan and Ladakh and captured Skardu by May 1948. They successfully blocked Indian reinforcements sent to relieve Skardu, and proceeded towards Kargil and Leh . Indian forces mounted an offensive in

595-658: A member of the Shina community which is the majority ethno-linguistic group of the Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan, mentions that although there was lack of public participation in the rebellion, pro-Pakistan sentiments were intense in the civilian population and their anti-Kashmiri sentiments were also clear. On 2 November, the Pakistani flag was raised on the old tower in the Gilgit Scout Lines, under

680-621: A member state of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization since 2008. According to Antia Mato Bouzas, the PPP-led Pakistani government has attempted a compromise through its 2009 reforms between its traditional stand on the Kashmir dispute and the demands of locals, most of whom may have pro-Pakistan sentiments. While the 2009 reforms have added to the self-identification of the region, they have not resolved

765-447: A move that was reportedly intended to also empower the territory's people; however, scholars state that the real power rests with the governor and not with the chief minister or elected assembly. Much of the population of Gilgit-Baltistan reportedly wants the territory to become integrated with Pakistan proper as a fifth province, and opposes integration with the rest of the Kashmir region. The Pakistani government had rejected calls from

850-1069: A part of Pakistani-administered Kashmir following the First Indo−Pakistani War . Brown was born in Melrose , Scotland . His father William Brown had served with the Gordon Highlanders regiment of the British Army during World War I , and was a recipient of the Military Cross . His paternal grandfather Alexander Laing Brown had been a Liberal Unionist member of parliament for the Hawick Burghs between 1886 and 1892. Brown attended St. Mary's School in Melrose and George Watson's College in Edinburgh . Upon finishing his schooling in 1941, he enlisted in

935-606: A plea to India for assistance and signed the Instrument of Accession , making his state a part of India. India air-lifted troops to defend the Kashmir Valley and the invaders were pushed back behind Uri . Gilgit's population did not favour the State's accession to India. The Muslims of the frontier ilaqas (Gilgit and the adjoining hill states) had wanted to join Pakistan. Sensing their discontent, Major William Brown ,

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1020-618: A ruler of Great Palola (Baltistan) named Su-fu-she-li-ji-li-ni ( Chinese : 蘇弗舍利支離泥 ; pinyin : sūfúshèlìzhīlíní ) reached the Chinese imperial court. By at least 719/720, Ladakh (Mard) became part of the Tibetan Empire . By that time, Buddhism was practised in Baltistan , and Sanskrit was the written language. In 720, the delegation of Surendrāditya ( Chinese : 蘇麟陀逸之 ; pinyin : sūlíntuóyìzhī ) reached

1105-497: A separate administrative unit in 1970 under the name "Northern Areas". It was formed by the amalgamation of the former Gilgit Agency , the Baltistan district , and several small former princely states , the largest of which were Hunza and Nagar . In 2009, the region was renamed "Gilgit-Baltistan" and granted limited autonomy through the Self-Governance Order signed by then Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari ,

1190-616: A successful uprising against the Dogras in Baltistan and captured the Dogra commander Baghwan Singh in Skardu. In 1842, Dogra Commander Wasir Lakhpat, with the active support of Ali Sher Khan (III) from Kartaksho , conquered Baltistan for the second time. There was a violent capture of the fortress of Kharphocho . Haidar Khan from Shigar, one of the leaders of the uprising against the Dogras,

1275-455: Is highly mountainous. It had an estimated population of 1.249 million people in 2013 (estimated to be 1.8 million in 2015 ( Shahid Javed Burki (2015) ). Its capital city is Gilgit with an estimated population of 216,760. The economy is dominated by agriculture and the tourism industry . The region is home to five of the 14 eight-thousanders , including K2 , and has more than fifty mountain peaks above 7,000 metres (23,000 ft). Three of

1360-633: Is still alive as a dark figure by the nickname "Mizos", "man-eater". The last Maqpon Raja, Ahmed Shah, ruled all of Baltistan between 1811 and 1840. The areas of Gilgit, Chitral and Hunza had already become independent of the Maqpons. Before the demise of Shribadat , a group of Shina people migrated from Gilgit Dardistan and settled in the Dras and Kharmang areas. The descendants of those Dardic people can be still found today, and are believed to have maintained their Dardic culture and Shina language up to

1445-846: The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders regiment, and sailed for India in December of that year. Following his arrival in India , Brown attended the Officer Cadet Training Unit in Bangalore , and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the 10th/12th Frontier Force Regiment . He soon transferred to the Frontier Corps of Scouts and Militias , where he served with the South Waziristan Scouts in

1530-836: The British government . Brown remained in Pakistan until 1959, when he returned to the United Kingdom with his family. In 1960, he established a livery yard and riding school at St. Boswells in Scotland . Brown died of a heart attack on 5 December 1984, eight days before his 62nd birthday. The Government of Pakistan posthumously awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz to Brown in 1993. Northern Areas Gilgit-Baltistan ( / ˌ ɡ ɪ l ɡ ɪ t ˌ b ɔː l t ɪ ˈ s t ɑː n , - s t æ n / ; Urdu : گِلْگِت بَلْتِسْتان listen ), formerly known as

1615-551: The First Kashmir War , Gilgit-Baltistan has never been formally integrated into the Pakistani state and does not participate in Pakistan's constitutional political affairs. On 29 August 2009, the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009, was passed by the Pakistani cabinet and later signed by the then President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari . The order granted self-rule to

1700-520: The Gilgit Agency was transferred to the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir . The state's Maharaja , Hari Singh , appointed Brigadier Ghansara Singh to govern the area on his behalf. The Partition of India took place in August of that year, which divided the former British colony into a Hindu -majority India and a Muslim -majority Pakistan . On 22 October 1947, amidst Pakistani fears of

1785-755: The Hindu minority in Gilgit from being harmed during the war, taking personal risk in doing so. In 1998, Brown's diary from his time in Gilgit was published as a book titled The Gilgit Rebellion. After returning from Gilgit in January 1948, Brown transferred to the Frontier Constabulary , where he served for the next two years. In July 1948, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire by

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1870-547: The Hunza–Nagar Campaign in 1891, and the pacification of Chilas and Chitral , the British Indian troops were gradually reduced, and replaced by new levies from Hunza , Nagar and Punial. In 1913, the local levies were replaced by a permanent body of troops on a company basis, under the name "Gilgit Scouts". The force was paid for by the state of Jammu and Kashmir , but commanded by British officers under

1955-472: The Indian government who regarded it as an unlawful and unpopular coup, whereas the Pakistani government hailed it claiming that Brown had the full support of the people. Brown himself acknowledged the severity of his actions when he later remarked, "my actions appeared to possess all the elements of high treason . Yet I knew in my own mind that what I had done was right." Brown is also credited to have saved

2040-801: The International Crisis Group , the Karachi Agreement is highly unpopular in Gilgit-Baltistan because Gilgit-Baltistan was not a party to it even while it was its own fate was being decided. From then until the 1990s, Gilgit-Baltistan was governed through the colonial-era Frontier Crimes Regulations , which were originally created for the northwest tribal regions . They treated tribal people as "barbaric and uncivilised," levying collective fines and punishments. People had no right to legal representation or appeal. Members of tribes had to obtain prior permission from

2125-487: The Karakoram Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan, concentrated at ten major sites between Hunza and Shatial . The carvings were left by invaders, traders, and pilgrims who passed along the trade route, as well as by locals. The earliest date back to between 5000 and 1000 BCE , showing single animals, triangular men and hunting scenes in which the animals are larger than the hunters. These carvings were pecked into

2210-491: The Mughal court. Anchan's reign brought prosperity and entertained art, sport, and variety in architecture. He introduced polo to the Gilgit region, and sent a group of musicians from Chitral to Delhi to learn Indian music ; Mughal architecture influenced the architecture of the region as well under his reign. Later Anchan in his successors Abdal Khan had great influence though in the popular literature of Baltistan, where he

2295-857: The North-West Frontier Province and became a proficient speaker of the Pashto language. In 1943, Brown was posted to the Gilgit Agency , where he would spend the next three years and also learn the Shina and Burushaski languages. In 1946, he served briefly with the Tochi Scouts in North Waziristan , and in 1947, he was posted to Chitral as the Acting Commandant of the Scouts . On 3 June 1947, control of

2380-546: The Northern Areas , is a region administered by Pakistan as an administrative territory and consists of the northern portion of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947 and between India and China since 1959. It borders Azad Kashmir to the south, the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the west, the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan to

2465-550: The Partition of India , the Gilgit Scouts rebelled against the authority of Jammu and Kashmir and participated in the First Kashmir War . According to Major William Brown , its commanding officer, there was a secret plan among a few members of Gilgit Scouts to set up a "Republic of Gilgit - Astor(e) " when they ousted the governor of Gilgit representing the Maharaja's government on 1 November 1947. Historian Ahmad Hasan Dani ,

2550-598: The Patola Shahis dynasty mentioned in a Brahmi inscription, and devout adherents of Vajrayana Buddhism . At the time, Little Palola ( Chinese : 小勃律 ) was used to refer to Gilgit, while Great Palola ( Chinese : 大勃律 ) was used to refer to Baltistan. However, the records do not consistently disambiguate the two. In mid-600s, Gilgit came under Chinese suzerainty after the fall of the Western Turkic Khaganate to Tang military campaigns in

2635-617: The Tibetan plateau , this region became inhabited by Tibetans, who preceded the Balti people of Baltistan . Today Baltistan bears similarity to Ladakh physically and culturally (although not in religion). Dards are found mainly in the western areas. These people are the Shina -speaking peoples of Gilgit, Chilas , Astore and Diamir , while in Hunza and the upper regions, Burushaski and Khowar speakers predominate. The Dards find mention in

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2720-597: The 'Chief Executive', who was the Federal Minister of KANA. "The secretaries were more powerful than the concerned advisors," in the words of one commentator. In spite of various reforms packages over the years, the situation is essentially unchanged. Meanwhile, public rage in Gilgit-Baltistan "[grew] alarmingly." Prominent "antagonist groups" have mushroomed protesting the absence of civic rights and democracy. The Pakistani government has debated granting provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan. Gilgit-Baltistan has been

2805-602: The Chinese army under the leadership of the ethnic-Korean commander Gao Xianzhi had recaptured Little Palola. Great Palola was subsequently captured by the Chinese army in 753 under military Governor Feng Changqing . However, by 755, due to the An Lushan rebellion , the Tang Chinese forces withdrew and were no longer able to exert influence in Central Asia or in the regions around Gilgit-Baltistan. The control of

2890-626: The Chinese imperial court. He was referred to in Chinese records as the king of Great Palola; however, it is unknown if Baltistan was under Gilgit rule at the time. The Chinese emperor also granted the ruler of Cashmere, Chandrāpīḍa ("Tchen-fo-lo-pi-li"), the title of "King of Cashmere". By 721/722, Baltistan had come under the influence of the Tibetan Empire. In 721–722, the Tibetan army attempted but failed to capture Gilgit or Bruzha ( Yasin valley ). By this time, according to Chinese records,

2975-522: The Gilgit Agency and had the advantage of local knowledge. They were also acclimatised to local climate and the harsh mountain terrain. They were responsible for maintaining local order as well as monitoring foreign activity along the northern borders. The recruitment in the Gilgit scouts was based on the recommendation of Mirs and Rajas of the area. Close relatives of Mirs and Rajas were given direct Viceroy commissions in Gilgit scouts. After

3060-498: The Gilgit Agency from Pakistan and established a de facto military administration on 1 November. On assuming direct control of the region, Brown thwarted plans by a large section of his contingent to set up an independent republic called Gilgit−Astor. On 2 November, he hoisted the Pakistani flag over the capital residency and announced the accession of the Gilgit Agency to Pakistan. He was then instructed by Sir George Cunningham ,

3145-807: The Gilgit-Baltistan Police, the Gilgit Baltistan Scouts (a paramilitary force), and the Northern Light Infantry (part of the Pakistani Army). The Gilgit-Baltistan Police (GBP) is responsible for law enforcement in Gilgit-Baltistan. The mission of the force is the prevention and detection of crime, maintenance of law and order and enforcement of the Constitution of Pakistan. Gilgit-Baltistan borders Pakistan's Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province to

3230-545: The Government of Azad Kashmir handed over the administration of Gilgit-Baltistan to the federal government under the Karachi Agreement . According to Indian journalist Paul Sahni, this is seen as an effort by Pakistan to legitimise its rule over Gilgit-Baltistan. According to Pakistani analyst Ershad Mahmud, there were two reasons why administration was transferred from Azad Kashmir to Pakistan: According to

3315-472: The Kashmir state. The region remained with the princely state, with temporary leases of some areas assigned to the British, until 1 November 1947. After Pakistan's independence, Jammu and Kashmir initially remained an independent state. Later on 22 October 1947, tribal militias backed by Pakistan crossed the border into Jammu and Kashmir after Poonch rebellion and Jammu Muslim massacre . Hari Singh made

3400-414: The Maharaja potentially acceding his Muslim-majority princely state to India, state-backed Pashtun tribal militias from Pakistan invaded Jammu and Kashmir and attacked the Maharaja's state forces . As Pakistani militias closed in on the capital of Srinagar by 26 October, Hari Singh had fled from the princely state and signed an instrument of accession for Jammu and Kashmir with India . The decision by

3485-568: The Maharaja's commander of the Gilgit Scouts , mutinied on 1 November 1947, overthrowing the governor Ghansara Singh . The bloodless coup d'état was planned by Brown to the last detail under the code name "Datta Khel", which was also joined by a rebellious section of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces under Mirza Hassan Khan . Brown ensured that the treasury was secured and minorities were protected. A provisional government ( Aburi Hakoomat )

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3570-512: The Maharaja—a Hindu Dogra ruler governing a princely state with a Muslim-majority populace—to accede to a Hindu-majority India following the creation of Pakistan was seen as controversial. Dogra rule was unpopular and disliked in every part of the princely state outside of the Jammu region; Prem Nath Bazaz , a Kashmiri scholar, describes Dogra rule in his book as: "The Dogras have always considered Jammu as their home and Kashmir as

3655-440: The Tang Chinese, and held back the Arabs with their help. Between 644 and 655, Navasurendrāditya-nandin became king of the Palola Sāhi dynasty in Gilgit. Numerous Sanskrit inscriptions, including the Danyor Rock Inscriptions , were discovered to be from his reign. In the late 600s and early 700s, Jayamaṅgalavikramāditya-nandin was king of Gilgit. According to Chinese court records, in 717 and 719 respectively, delegations of

3740-461: The accession, and warned him that he may have to take certain measures to avoid large-scale bloodshed. Brown's view on the escalating Kashmir conflict was that the whole of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, including Gilgit, should go to Pakistan in view of the fact that the state's population was predominantly Muslim, and that the foundation of Pakistan's existence was the accommodation of Muslim-majority regions in British India. Singh ignored

3825-441: The approval of the mirs and rajas for accession to Pakistan. According to Brown, Alam replied [to the locals], "you are a crowd of fools led astray by a madman. I shall not tolerate this nonsense for one instance... And when the Indian Army starts invading you there will be no use screaming to Pakistan for help, because you won't get it."... The provisional government faded away after this encounter with Alam Khan, clearly reflecting

3910-426: The autumn of 1948 to push them back from Ladakh, but Baltistan came into the rebels' territory. On 1 January 1948, India took the issue of Jammu and Kashmir to the United Nations Security Council . In April 1948, the Council passed a resolution calling for Pakistan to withdraw from all of Jammu and Kashmir and for India to reduce its forces to the minimum level, following which a plebiscite would be held to ascertain

3995-399: The command of Major Brown. On 12 January 1948, the command was handed over to Colonel Aslam Khan the first local commander of the Gilgit Scouts, under the authority of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir provisional government. After the conclusion of the First Kashmir War, the Gilgit Scouts operated as a paramilitary force in the Northern Areas (now called Gilgit-Baltistan). In 1975, the force

4080-399: The conquered country…[T]hey established a sort of Dogra imperialism in the State in which all non-Dogra communities and classes were given the humble place of inferiors…Dogra imperialism brought nothing but misery, thraldom, physical and mental deterioration in its wake…" On hearing of the decision, Brown urged Ghansara Singh to ascertain the wishes of the Gilgit Agency's Muslim community over

4165-419: The constitutional status of the region within Pakistan. According to 2010 news reports, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan want to merge into Pakistan as a separate fifth province. However, as of 2015 leaders of Azad Kashmir were opposed to any step towards integrating Gilgit-Baltistan into Pakistan. The people of Gilgit-Baltistan have opposed integration with Azad Kashmir. They desire Pakistani citizenship and

4250-438: The control of the British Political Agent at Gilgit. The initial strength of Gilgit Scouts was 656 men. They were organised into 8 companies of 80 men each. Each company had two native officers, a Subedar and a Jamadar. The force had no connection to the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces , but became part of the Frontier Corps , along with Chitral Scouts , Kurram Militia and other local forces. The recruits were from all areas of

4335-430: The flimsy and opportunistic nature of its basis and support. The provisional government lasted 16 days. According to scholar Yaqub Khan Bangash, it lacked sway over the population. The Gilgit rebellion did not have civilian involvement and was solely the work of military leaders, not all of whom had been in favour of joining Pakistan, at least in the short term. Historian Ahmed Hasan Dani says that although there had been

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4420-461: The grounds that it would jeopardise its demands for the whole Kashmir issue to be resolved according to UN resolutions. However, since Imran Khan announced that it would be granted provisional provincial status , the Pakistani political parties finally agree to pass constitutional amendment to propose Gilgit-Baltistan as a province. Some Kashmiri nationalist groups, such as the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front , claim Gilgit-Baltistan as part of

4505-410: The king of Little Palola was Mo-ching-mang ( Chinese : 沒謹忙 ; pinyin : méijǐnmáng ). He had visited the Tang court requesting military assistance against the Tibetans. Between 723 and 728, the Korean Buddhist pilgrim Hyecho passed through this area. In 737/738, Tibetan troops under the leadership of Minister Bel Kyesang Dongtsab of Emperor Me Agtsom took control of Little Palola. By 747,

4590-420: The legal status of Gilgit-Baltistan. In its judgement of 28 May 1999, the Court directed the Government of Pakistan to ensure the provision of equal rights to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, and gave it six months to do so. Following the Supreme Court decision, the government took several steps to devolve power to the local level. However, in several policy circles, the point was raised that the Pakistani government

4675-501: The north, the Xinjiang region of China to the east and northeast, and the Indian-administered union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to the southeast. The region, together with Azad Kashmir in the southwest, is grouped and referred to by the United Nations and other international organisations as " Pakistan-administered Kashmir ". Gilgit-Baltistan is six times larger than Azad Kashmir in terms of geographical area. The territory of present-day Gilgit-Baltistan became

4760-447: The opening of the Karakoram Highway and the region's population became more connected to mainland Pakistan. The improved connectivity facilitated the local population to avail itself of educational opportunities in the rest of Pakistan. Italso allowed the political parties of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir to set up local branches, raise political awareness in the region. According to Ershad Mahmud, these Pakistani political parties have played

4845-471: The people of Gilgit-Baltistan, by creating, among other things, an elected Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly and Gilgit-Baltistan Council . Gilgit-Baltistan thus gained a de facto province-like status without constitutionally becoming part of Pakistan. Currently, Gilgit-Baltistan is neither a province nor a state. It has a semi-provincial status. Traditionally, the Pakistani government had rejected Gilgit-Baltistani calls for integration with Pakistan on

4930-401: The people's wishes. However, no withdrawal was ever carried out. India insisted that Pakistan had to withdraw first and Pakistan contended there was no guarantee that India would withdraw afterwards. Gilgit-Baltistan, along with the western districts that came to be called Azad Kashmir , have remained under the control of Pakistan ever since. While the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan expressed

5015-413: The police to travel anywhere, and had to keep the police informed about their movements. There was no democratic set-up during this period. All political and judicial powers remained in the hands of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas (KANA). The people of Gilgit-Baltistan were deprived of rights enjoyed by citizens of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. A primary reason for this state of affairs

5100-521: The present day Gilgit-Baltistan. The force was continued by Pakistan till 1975 when it was integrated into the Northern Light Infantry of the Pakistan Army . When the Gilgit Agency was established in 1889, it was controlled using the Imperial Service Troops provided by the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir and placed under the command of the British Political Agent . A few contingents of British Indian troops and 14 British officers were added in 1891. Levies from Punial were also present earlier. After

5185-491: The present time. In November 1839, Dogra commander Zorawar Singh , whose allegiance was to Gulab Singh , started his campaign against Baltistan. By 1840 he conquered Skardu and captured its ruler, Ahmad Shah. Ahmad Shah was then forced to accompany Zorawar Singh on his raid into Western Tibet. Meanwhile, Baghwan Singh was appointed as administrator ( thanadar ) in Skardu. But in the following year, Ali Khan of Rondu , Haidar Khan of Shigar and Daulat Ali Khan from Khaplu led

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5270-453: The region . In the late 600s CE, the rising Tibetan Empire wrestled control of the region from the Chinese. However, faced with growing influence of the Umayyad Caliphate and then the Abbasid Caliphate to the west, the Tibetans were forced to ally themselves with the Islamic caliphates. The region was then contested by Chinese and Tibetan forces, and their respective vassal states, until the mid-700s. Rulers of Gilgit formed an alliance with

5355-467: The region was left to the Tibetan Empire. They referred to the region as Bruzha, a toponym that is consistent with the ethnonym " Burusho " used today. Tibetan control of the region lasted until late-800s CE. Turkic tribes practising Zoroastrianism arrived in Gilgit during the 7th century, and founded the Trakhan dynasty in Gilgit. In the 14th century, Sufi Muslim preachers from Persia and Central Asia introduced Islam in Baltistan. Famous amongst them

5440-490: The region. In 1970 the two parts of the territory, viz., the Gilgit Agency and Baltistan , were merged into a single administrative unit, and given the name "Northern Areas". The Shaksgam tract was ceded by Pakistan to China following the signing of the Sino-Pakistani Frontier Agreement in 1963. In 1969, a Northern Areas Advisory Council (NAAC) was created, later renamed to Northern Areas Council (NAC) in 1974 and Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC) in 1994. But it

5525-497: The territory for provincial status on the grounds that granting such a request would jeopardise Pakistan's demands for the entire Kashmir conflict to be resolved according to all related United Nations resolutions . However, in November 2020, Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan announced that Gilgit-Baltistan would attain provisional provincial status after the 2020 Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly election . Gilgit-Baltistan covers an area of over 72,971 km (28,174 sq mi) and

5610-466: The then- Governor of the North West Frontier Province to restore order in the region. On 16 November, the Pakistani government sent Muhammad Alam to take control of the region as a political agent and on 18 November, Gilgit and its neighbouring states signed a combined instrument of accession to Pakistan. Brown remained in command of the Gilgit Scouts until 12 January 1948, when he was replaced by Aslam Khan . Brown's actions were strongly condemned by

5695-407: The towns of Gilgit and Skardu . * Combined population of Skardu, Shigar, Kharmang and Roundu districts. Shigar and Kharmang Districts were carved out of Skardu District after 1998. The estimated population of Gilgit-Baltistan was about 1.8 million in 2015 and the overall population growth rate between 1998 and 2011 was 63.1% making it 4.85% annually. Security in Gilgit-Baltistan is provided by

5780-400: The two main hubs for expeditions to those mountains. The region is home to some of the world's highest mountain ranges. The main ranges are the Karakoram and the western Himalayas . The Pamir Mountains are to the north, and the Hindu Kush lies to the west. Amongst the highest mountains are K2 (Mount Godwin-Austen) and Nanga Parbat , the latter being one of the most feared mountains in

5865-461: The warning, prompting Brown to begin planning what became known as ' Operation Datta Khel '. Brown was well aware of the anti-Maharaja sentiments among the populace of the Gilgit Agency. On 31 October, the Gilgit Scouts , under the command of Brown, surrounded the Gilgit Residency and took Ghansara Singh & Wazir-i-wazarat Sehdev Singh Chib along with their families and staff into protective custody. Brown then requested for troops to be sent to

5950-447: The west, a small portion of the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan to the north, China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to the northeast, the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir to the southeast, and the Pakistani-administered state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to the south. Gilgit-Baltistan is home to all five of Pakistan's " eight-thousanders " and to more than fifty peaks above 7,000 metres (23,000 ft). Gilgit and Skardu are

6035-400: The works of Herodotus , Nearchus , Megasthenes , Pliny , Ptolemy , and the geographical lists of the Puranas . In the 1st century, the people of these regions were followers of the Bon religion while in the 2nd century, they practised Buddhism. Between 399 and 414, the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Faxian visited Gilgit-Baltistan. In the 6th century Somana Palola (greater Gilgit-Chilas)

6120-489: The world's longest glaciers outside of Earth's polar regions are found in Gilgit-Baltistan. The main tourism activities are trekking and mountaineering , and this industry has been growing in importance throughout the region. The rock carvings found in various places in Gilgit-Baltistan, especially in the Passu village of Hunza , suggest a human presence since 2000 BC. Within the next few centuries of human settlement on

6205-840: The world. Three of the world's longest glaciers outside the polar regions are found in Gilgit-Baltistan: the Biafo Glacier , the Baltoro Glacier , and the Batura Glacier . There are, in addition, several high-altitude lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan: The Deosai Plains are located above the tree line and constitute the second-highest plateau in the world after Tibet , at 4,115 metres (13,501 ft). The plateau lies east of Astore, south of Skardu and west of Ladakh . The area

6290-546: Was Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani , who came through Kashmir while in the Gilgit region Islam entered in the same century through Turkic Tarkhan rulers. Gilgit-Baltistan was ruled by many local rulers, amongst whom the Maqpon dynasty of Skardu and the Rajas of Hunza were famous. The Maqpons of Skardu unified Gilgit-Baltistan with Chitral and Ladakh , especially in the era of Ali Sher Khan Anchan who had friendly relations with

6375-562: Was a British military officer based in British-ruled India . He is best known for his actions during the Partition of India , when he assisted the locals of the Gilgit Agency and led a coup d'état , codenamed Operation Datta Khel , against Hari Singh , the Maharaja of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir . The successful coup ultimately resulted in the Gilgit Agency (in today's Gilgit−Baltistan ) becoming

6460-831: Was amalgamated into the Northern Light Infantry Regiment of the Pakistan Army, where the Gilgit Scouts became the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the regiment. The force was re-raised in 2003 as the Northern Area Scouts under command of Brigadier Inayat Wali. It quickly progressed and took over the responsibilities of Law and Order in Gilgit Baltistan. In 2011, the force was renamed Gilgit Baltistan Scouts . William Brown (British Army officer) William Alexander Brown MBE SI (13 December 1922 – 5 December 1984)

6545-539: Was declared as a national park in 1993. The Deosai Plains cover an area of almost 5,000 square kilometres (1,900 sq mi). For over half the year (between September and May), Deosai is snow-bound and cut off from rest of Astore and Baltistan in winters. The village of Deosai lies close to Chilum chokki and is connected with the Kargil district of Ladakh through an all-weather road. There are more than 50,000 pieces of rock art ( petroglyphs ) and inscriptions all along

6630-493: Was devoid of legislative powers. All law-making was concentrated in the KANA Ministry of Pakistan. In 1994, a Legal Framework Order (LFO) was created by the KANA Ministry to serve as the de facto constitution for the region. In 1974, the former State Subject law was abolished in Gilgit Baltistan, and Pakistanis from other areas could buy land and settle. In 1984 the territory's importance shot up within Pakistan with

6715-408: Was established by the Gilgit locals with Raja Shah Rais Khan as the president and Mirza Hassan Khan as the commander-in-chief. However, Major Brown had already telegraphed Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan asking Pakistan to take over. Pakistan's political agent, Khan Mohammad Alam Khan, arrived on 16 November and took over the administration of Gilgit. Brown outmaneuvered the pro-Independence group and secured

6800-534: Was formed by the amalgamation of the former Gilgit Agency , the Baltistan District of the Ladakh Wazarat and the hill states of Hunza and Nagar . It presently consists of fourteen districts, has a population approaching one million and an area of approximately 73,000 square kilometres (28,000 square miles), and shares borders with Pakistan, China, Afghanistan, and India. In 1993, an attempt

6885-423: Was helpless to comply with the court verdict because of the strong political and sectarian divisions in Gilgit-Baltistan and also because of the territory's historical connection with the still disputed Kashmir region, and that this prevented the determination of Gilgit-Baltistan's real status. A position of 'Deputy Chief Executive' was created to act as the local administrator, but the real powers still rested with

6970-725: Was imprisoned and died in captivity. Gosaun was appointed as administrator (Thanadar) of Baltistan and till 1860, the entire region of Gilgit-Baltistan was under the Sikhs and then the Dogras . After the defeat of the Sikhs in the First Anglo-Sikh War , the region became a part of the Jammu and Kashmir princely state, which since 1846 had remained under the rule of the Dogras. The population in Gilgit perceived itself as ethnically different from Kashmiris and disliked being ruled by

7055-596: Was made by the High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to annexe Gilgit-Baltistan but was quashed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan after protests by the locals of Gilgit-Baltistan, who feared domination by the Kashmiris. Government of Pakistan abolished State Subject Rule in Gilgit-Baltistan in 1974, which resulted in demographic changes in the territory. While administratively controlled by Pakistan since

7140-551: Was ruled by an unknown king. Between 627 and 645, the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang travelled through this region on his pilgrimage to India. According to Chinese records from the Tang dynasty , between the 600s and the 700s, the region was governed by a Buddhist dynasty referred to as Bolü ( Chinese : 勃律 ; pinyin : bólǜ ), also transliterated as Palola , Patola , Balur . They are believed to have been

7225-429: Was the remoteness of Gilgit-Baltistan. Another factor was that the whole of Pakistan itself was deficient in democratic norms and principles, therefore the federal government did not prioritise democratic development in the region. There was also a lack of public pressure as an active civil society was absent in the region, with young educated residents usually opting to live in Pakistan's urban centers instead of staying in

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