Top News

New Delhi: Pakistan on Friday took a major step towards making Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir its fifth province. The assembly of the area unanimously passed a resolution demanding the Central Government to amend the Constitution and give it full provincial status. If Parliament approves it, there will be a major change in the administrative map of Pakistan and a new aspect will be added to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

What did the assembly pass?   

The resolution said that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan should get all the constitutional, political and democratic rights like the citizens of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It also includes the demand for representation in the National Assembly, Senate and other federal institutions.

It was also added that this status "Temporary" This will happen and will depend on any future resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. That means Pakistan has kept the door open citing international responsibilities. The proposal was signed by the Chief Minister, Assembly Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Leader of the Opposition and independent members. Now it has been sent to Islamabad for further action.

Why did this issue arise now?   

This step has come at a time when Pakistan itself is facing many domestic crises. The security situation in Balochistan is bad and extremist attacks have increased in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Critics say that the government is reviving this long pending proposal to divert attention from these issues. Currently, Gilgit-Baltistan is governed under limited self-rule. It has not got the constitutional status like the four provinces.

The proposal came after the elections and the new government   

This development has happened a few weeks after the June 7 assembly elections. There were allegations of rigging in the elections. Bilawal Bhutto’s PPP emerged as the largest party and Amjad Hussain became the Chief Minister.

When no one got majority, PPP and Shahbaz Sharif’s PML-N formed a coalition government. Under the agreement, PPP got the post of CM and Speaker, while PML-N got the post of Governor and Deputy Speaker. As soon as it assumed power, the new government passed the proposal for provincial status.

2019 plan alive again   

This idea is not new. After India removed Articles 370 and 35A in August 2019, the Imran Khan government had also brought a similar proposal, but it did not move forward. The current government argues that it is necessary to formally bring the area into the constitutional framework.

What did India say?    

India has already made it clear that the entire Jammu and Kashmir including Gilgit-Baltistan is an integral part of India. New Delhi has said that Pakistan’s unilateral steps to change the status of its occupied areas have no legal validity.