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99-561: 36°18′N 74°39′E  /  36.300°N 74.650°E  / 36.300; 74.650 This Gilgit-Baltistan location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to a river in Pakistan is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Gilgit-Baltistan 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

198-422: A cold desert climate ( Köppen climate classification BWk ). Weather conditions for Gilgit are dominated by its geographical location, a valley in a mountainous area, southwest of Karakoram range. The prevalent season of Gilgit is winter, occupying the valley eight to nine months a year. Gilgit lacks significant rainfall, averaging in 120 to 240 mm (4.7 to 9.4 in) annually, as monsoon breaks against

297-587: 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

396-471: A Mohammedan adventurer, who married his daughter and founded a new dynasty, since called Trakhàn , from a celebrated Ra named Trakhan, who reigned about the commencement of the fourteenth century. The previous rulers—of whom Shri Ba'dut was the last—were called Shahreis . Gilgit was ruled for centuries by the local Trakhàn Dynasty, which ended about 1810 with the death of Raja Abas, the last Trakhàn Raja. The rulers of Hunza and Nager also claim origin with

495-414: 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

594-407: 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,

693-424: 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

792-707: 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

891-644: A major operation could not have been launched without Jinnah's knowledge and approval. The 'Azad Forces' that were part of the so-called tribal invasion were led by Pakistan army officers, and the UNCIP report records Pakistan's admission that they were under Pakistan's 'tactical command'. Gilgit's military leaders did not favour the State's accession to India. However, there was also written evidence of Gilgit troop leaders wanting to set up an independent Islamic state. Major William Brown in his book Gilgit Rebellion describes

990-621: 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

1089-447: 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

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1188-554: 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 ,

1287-618: 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

1386-497: 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 ,

1485-616: 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,

1584-455: 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

1683-633: 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

1782-690: Is the only airline operating in Gilgit. The Government of Pakistan is planning to build a new international standard airport in Gilgit to meet the requirements of international tourists and demand from domestic investors. Gilgit is located approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) from the Karakoram Highway (KKH). The roadway is being upgraded as part of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor . The KKH connects Gilgit to Chilas , Dasu , Besham , Mansehra , Abbottabad and Islamabad in

1881-530: The Adam Khor (literally "man-eater"), often demanding a child a day from his subjects, his demise is still celebrated to this very day by locals in traditional annual celebrations. In the beginning of the new year, where a Juniper procession walks along the river, in memory of chasing the cannibal king Sri Badat away. Azur Jamshid abdicated after 16 years of rule in favour of his wife Nur Bakht Khatùn until their son and heir Garg , grew of age and assumed

1980-608: 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

2079-801: 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

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2178-420: 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

2277-491: 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

2376-546: 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

2475-598: 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

2574-583: The Ra'issiya Dynasty . The period of greatest prosperity was probably under the Shin Ras, whose rule seems to have been peaceable and settled. The whole population, from the Ra to the poorest subject lived by agriculture. According to tradition, Shri Buddutt's rule extended over Chitral , Yassin , Tangir , Darel , Chilas , Gor , Astor , Hunza , Nagar and Haramosh all of which were held by tributary princes of

2673-668: 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

2772-597: 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

2871-633: The British India government demanded from the Jammu and Kashmir state to lease them Gilgit town plus most of the Gilgit Agency and the hill-states Hunza, Nagar, Yasin and Ishkoman for 60 years. Abdullah Sahib was an Arain and belonged to Chimkor Sahib village of Ambala district Punjab, British India . Abdullah Sahib was the first Muslim governor of the Gilgit in British time period and

2970-640: The Buddhist canon, including the famous Lotus Sutra . The manuscripts were written on birch bark in the Buddhist form of Sanskrit in the Sharada script . They cover a wide range of themes such as iconometry , folk tales , philosophy , medicine and several related areas of life and general knowledge. The Gilgit manuscripts are included in the UNESCO Memory of the World register. They are among

3069-602: 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

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3168-626: 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,

3267-661: The Gilgit troop leaders stating, " We know of course that you are loyal to Pakistan-all Britishers are-but it is not our intention to join Pakistan. We intend to set up an independent Islamic State called the United States of Gilgit, and although we shall keep the friendliest relation with Pakistan we shall in no way owe allegiance to that dominion ." The military leaders of the Frontier Districts Province (modern day Gilgit-Baltistan) wanted to join Pakistan. Sensing their discontent, Major William Brown ,

3366-807: 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

3465-545: 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

3564-438: The Hunza and their Yasin and Punial allies but was soon reconquered by Gulab Singh's Dogra troops. With the support of Raja Gohar Aman, Gilgit's inhabitants drove their new rulers out in an uprising in 1852. Raja Gohar Aman then ruled Gilgit until his death in 1860, just before new Dogra forces from Ranbir Singh , son of Gulab Singh, captured the fort and town. In the 1870s Chitral was threatened by Afghans, Maharaja Ranbir Singh

3663-472: 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

3762-742: The Khushwakhte Dynasty when he took Gilgit. Then in 1842, Shah Sakandar's brother, Karim Khan, expelled Yasin rulers with the support of a Sikh army from Kashmir. The Sikh general, Nathu Shah, left garrison troops and Karim Khan ruled until Gilgit was ceded to Gulab Singh of Jammu and Kashmir in 1846 by the Treaty of Amritsar , and Dogra troops replaced the Sikh in Gilgit. Nathu Shah and Karim Khan both transferred their allegiance to Gulab Singh, continuing local administration. When Hunza attacked in 1848, both of them were killed. Gilgit fell to

3861-648: The Maharaja's commander of the Gilgit Scouts , mutinied on 1 November 1947, overthrowing the Governor Ghansara Singh . The bloodless coup d'etat 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 6th Infantry under Mirza Hassan Khan . Brown ensured that the treasury was secured and minorities were protected. A provisional government ( Aburi Hakoomat )

3960-506: 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 )

4059-473: The Pakistani cities of Skardu , Chitral , Peshawar , and Islamabad . Currently, it serves as a frontier station for the local tribal areas. The city's economic activity is mainly focused on agriculture , with wheat, maize, and barley as the main produced crops. The city's ancient name was Sargin , later to be known as Gilit , and it is still referred to as Gilit or Sargin-Gilit by the local people. The native Khowar and Wakhi -speaking people refer to

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4158-622: 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

4257-455: The Trakhàn dynasty. They claim descent from a heroic Kayani Prince of Persia, Azur Jamshid (also known as Shamsher ), who secretly married the daughter of the king Shri Badat . She conspired with him to overthrow her cannibal father. Sri Badat's faith is theorised as Hindu by some and Buddhist by others. Prince Azur Jamshid succeeded in overthrowing King Badat who was known as

4356-501: 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

4455-528: The approval of the mirs and rajas for accession to Pakistan. Browns's actions surprised the British Government. The provisional government lasted 16 days. The provisional government 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 favor of joining Pakistan, at least in the short term. Historian Ahmed Hasan Dani mentions that although there

4554-567: 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

4653-519: The city as Gilt , and in Burushaski , it is called Geelt . Brokpas trace their settlement from Gilgit into the fertile villages of Ladakh through a rich corpus of hymns, songs, and folklore that have been passed down through generations. The Dards and Shinas appear in many of the old Pauranic lists of people who lived in the region, with the former also mentioned in Ptolemy 's accounts of

4752-463: The city was governed by a Buddhist dynasty referred to as Little Balur or Lesser Bolü ( Chinese : 小勃律 ). They are believed to have been the Patola Shahis dynasty mentioned in a Brahmi inscription, and are devout adherents of Vajrayana Buddhism . In mid-600s, Gilgit came under Chinese suzerainty after the fall of the Western Turkic Khaganate to the Tang military campaigns in the region . In

4851-573: The confluence of the Gilgit and the Hunza rivers. It is a major tourist destination in Pakistan , serving as a hub for trekking and mountaineering expeditions in the Karakoram mountain range. Gilgit was once a major centre for Buddhism ; it was an important stop on the ancient Silk Road , and today serves as a major junction along the Karakoram Highway with road connections to China as well as

4950-419: 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

5049-430: 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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5148-517: 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

5247-582: 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,

5346-606: The late 600s CE, the rising Tibetan Empire wrested 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 the Chinese and Tibetan forces, and their respective vassal states, until the mid-700s. Chinese records of

5445-472: 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

5544-689: 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

5643-416: The oldest manuscripts in the world, and the oldest manuscript collection surviving in Pakistan, having major significance in Buddhist studies and the evolution of Asian and Sanskrit literature . The manuscripts are believed to have been written in the 5th to 6th centuries AD, though more manuscripts were discovered from the succeeding centuries, which were also classified as Gilgit manuscripts. Many of

5742-465: The ongoing flooding displacing many people. The city of Gilgit constitutes a tehsil within Gilgit District . Gilgit District itself is the part of the larger Gilgit Division which is headed by a Commissioner of BPS-20 belonging to Pakistan Administrative service . The Current Commissioner Gilgit Division is Mr Najeem Alam (PAS). Gilgit is served by the nearby Gilgit Airport , with direct flights to Islamabad. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)

5841-447: 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

5940-418: The original manuscripts from Gilgit can be found in the National Archives of India and the Pratap Singh Museum in Srinagar . Two manuscripts collected by the orientalist Sir Aurel Stein are in the British Library in London. They include a rare paper version of the Lotus Sutra . As of 6 October 2014, one source claims that the part of the collection deposited at the Sri Pratap Singh Museum in Srinagar

6039-471: 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

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6138-401: 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

6237-413: 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

6336-491: 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

6435-405: The princely state of Jammu and Kashmir , established the Gilgit Agency . The Agency was re-established under control of the British Resident in Jammu and Kashmir. It comprised the Gilgit Wazarat ; the State of Hunza and Nagar; the Punial Jagir; the Governorships of Yasin, Kuh-Ghizr and Ishkoman , and Chilas. The Tajiks of Xinjiang sometimes enslaved the Gilgiti and Kunjuti Hunza. In 1935,

6534-453: 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

6633-488: The region continue until late the 700s, at which time the Tangs' western military campaign was weakened due to the An Lushan Rebellion . Control of 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 the late 800s CE. This corpus of manuscripts was discovered in 1931 in Gilgit, containing many Buddhist texts such as four sutras from

6732-467: 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

6831-413: The region. Gilgit was an important city on the Silk Road, along which Buddhism spread from South Asia to the rest of Asia . It is considered a Buddhism corridor, along which many Chinese monks came to Kashmir, to learn and to preach Buddhism. Two famous Chinese Buddhist pilgrims, Faxian and Xuanzang , traversed Gilgit, according to their accounts. According to Chinese records, in the 600s and 700s,

6930-490: 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

7029-400: The rock with stone tools and are covered with a thick patina that proves their age. Gilgit Gilgit ( / ˈ ɡ ɪ l ɡ ɪ t / ; Shina : گلیٗت ; Urdu : گلگت IPA: [ˈɡɪlɡɪt] ) is a city in Pakistani -administered Gilgit–Baltistan in the disputed Kashmir region. It is the capital of the Gilgit-Baltistan region. The city is located in a broad valley near

7128-653: The same family. The area had been a flourishing tract but prosperity was destroyed by warfare over the next fifty years, and by the great flood of 1841 in which the river Indus was blocked by a landslip below the Hatu Pir and the valley was turned into a lake. After the death of Abas, Sulaiman Shah, Raja of Yasin , conquered Gilgit. Then, Azad Khan, Raja of Punial , killed Sulaiman Shah, taking Gilgit; then Tahir Shah, Raja of Buroshall ( Nagar ), took Gilgit and killed Azad Khan. Tair Shah's son Shah Sakandar inherited, only to be killed by Gohar Aman, ethnic Kho Raja of Yasin of

7227-828: The south. Gilgit is connected to Karimabad (Hunza) and Sust in the north, with further connections to the Chinese cities of Tashkurgan , Upal and Kashgar in Xinjiang . Gilgit is also linked to Chitral in the west, and Skardu to the east. The road to Skardu will be upgraded to a 4-lane road at a cost of $ 475 million. Transport companies such as the Silk Route Transport Pvt, Masherbrum Transport Pvt and Northern Areas Transport Corporation ( NATCO ), offer passenger road transport between Islamabad, Gilgit, Sust , and Kashgar and Tashkurgan in China. The Astore - Burzil Pass Road, linking Gilgit to Srinagar

7326-594: The southern range of Himalayas . Irrigation for land cultivation is obtained from the rivers, abundant with melting snow water from higher altitudes. The summer season is brief and hot, with daily high temperatures occasionally peaking at over 40 °C (104 °F). As a result of this extremity in the weather, landslides and avalanches are frequent in the area. Climate change has adversely effected this region with more rains every year. On 26 August 2022, most villages in Ghizer district and Hunza were severely effected by

7425-553: 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

7524-512: The title of Raja and ruled, for 55 years. The dynasty flourished under the name of the Kayani dynasty until 1421 when Raja Torra Khan assumed rulership. He ruled as a memorable king until 1475. He distinguished his family line from his stepbrother Shah Rais Khan (who fled to the king of Badakshan, and with whose help he gained Chitral from Raja Torra Khan ), as the now-known dynastic name of Trakhàn. The descendants of Shah Rais Khan were known as

7623-407: 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

7722-458: 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

7821-601: 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

7920-570: 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)

8019-489: 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

8118-840: 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

8217-546: 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

8316-470: Was close associate of Maharaja Partap Singh. Khan Bahadur Kalay Khan, a Mohammed Zai Pathan, was the Governor of Gilgit Hunza and Kashmir before partition. On 26 October 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, faced with a tribal invasion by Pakistan due to Masscre of Muslims in Jammu by Hindus and Sikh mobs , signed the Instrument of Accession , joining India. The tribal invasion by Pakistan

8415-598: Was closed in 1978. Gilgit is not served by any rail connections. Long-term plans for the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor call for construction of the 682 km (424 mi) long Khunjerab Railway , which is expected to be completed in 2030, that would also serve Gilgit. Gilgit has not received a gas pipeline infrastructure since Pakistan's independence, unlike other cities. Through the importation of gas cylinders from other provinces, many private gas contractors offer gas cylinders. The LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) Air Mix Plant project by Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited

8514-539: 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

8613-560: 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

8712-408: 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

8811-411: 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. The Pakistani 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

8910-540: Was firm in protecting Chitral from Afghans, the Mehtar of Chitral asked for help. In 1876 Chitral accepted the authority of Jammu Clan and in reverse get the protection from the Dogras who have in the past took part in many victories over Afghans during the time of Gulab Singh Dogra. In 1877, in order to guard against the advance of Russia, the British India Government, acting as the suzerain power of

9009-534: 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

9108-423: 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

9207-725: 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

9306-455: Was irrecoverably destroyed during the 2014 India–Pakistan floods . The former rulers had the title of Ra , and there is a reason to suppose that they were at one time Hindus , but for the last five centuries and a half they have been Moslems . The names of the Hindu Ras have been lost, with the exception of the last of their number, Shri Ba'dut. Tradition relates that he was killed by

9405-527: Was lack of public participation in the rebellion, 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. Gilgit is situated in a valley formed by the confluence of the Indus River , Hunza River , Astore River and Gilgit River . Gilgit experiences

9504-596: 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

9603-431: Was not simply a tribal invasion. Pakistani Major General Akbar Khan has given account of the invasion in his book Raiders in Kashmir . General Akbar Khan, then serving as a colonel in the Pakistan army, has described at least four meetings with Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan to discuss the planning and conduct of the operations. Justice Muhammad Yusuf Saraf, at the time a Muslim Conference activist, has pointed out that such

9702-434: 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

9801-429: 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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