Gilgit-Baltistan
گلگت بلتستان | |
---|---|
![]() A map of the disputed Kashmir region with the two Pakistan-administered areas shaded in sage-green. | |
![]() Interactive map of Gilgit-Baltistan | |
Coordinates: 35°21′N 75°54′E / 35.35°N 75.9°E | |
Established | 1 November 1948 |
Capital | Gilgit |
Largest city | Skardu[1] |
Government | |
• Type | Administrative territory |
• Body | Government of Gilgit-Baltistan |
• Governor | Syed Mehdi Shah |
• Chief Minister | Gulbar Khan |
• Chief Secretary | Muhammad Khuram Aga[2] |
• Legislature | Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly |
• High Court | Supreme Appellate Court Gilgit-Baltistan[3] |
Area | |
• Total | 72,496 km2 (27,991 sq mi) |
[5] | |
Population (2014) | |
• Total | 1,492,924 |
• Density | 21/km2 (53/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+05:00 (PKT) |
ISO 3166 code | PK-GB |
Languages | Balti, Shina, Wakhi, Burushaski, Khowar, Domaki, Purgi, Changthang, Brokskat, Ladakhi, Urdu (administrative) |
HDI (2019) | 0.592 ![]() Medium |
Assembly seats | 33[7] |
Divisions | 3 |
Districts | 14 |
Tehsils | 31[8] |
Union Councils | 113 |
Website | gilgitbaltistan |
Gilgit Baltistan (Urdu: گلگت بلتستان), previously known as the Northern Areas, is the northern-most autonomous territory of Pakistan. In terms of land area it is bigger than Sierra Leone but smaller than Panama.[9][10] It was part of the former Princely state of Kashmir and Jammu in 1800s[9] and later leased to British[11] eventually liberated after a planned liberation movement led by Gilgit Scouts.[10]
It borders Azad Jammu and Kashmir in the south, Indian-administered Kashmir in the southeast, where the KPK province of Pakistan to the west, and internationally borders Afghanistan to the north. However, Tajikistan is separated by fourteen kilometers via Wakhan Corridor, the People's Republic of China to the northeast.[11]
Gilgit Baltistan, which became a single administrative unit in 1970, was formed from the amalgamation of the Gilgit Agency, the Baltistan District of the Ladakh Wazarat, and the states of Hunza and Nagar. Gilgit Baltistan remains part of the Kashmir dispute. The Government of Pakistan since 1947 Independence regards the entire area of Jammu and Kashmir as "Territory in dispute" to be resolved by a Plebiscite to be held throughout the former state to determine the area's final accession to either India, or the neighboring country of Pakistan. Gilgit Baltistan is governed by a governor and a chief minister, with the latter being elected by the legislative assembly. Gilgit Baltistan covers 72,971 km² (28,174 mi²) and is very mountainous. It had an estimated population of 1.8 million in 2015. Its capital city is Gilgit, and the largest city is Skardu. The region is home to five of the 14 eight-thousanders, including K2 ("National Mountain"). Three of the world's longest glaciers outside of Earth's polar regions are found in Gilgit-Baltistan. The main tourism activities are trekking and mountaineering. 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.[source?] The Pakistani government had rejected calls from 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 UN mediation of the Kashmir dispute.[12] However, in November 2020, former Pakistani Prime minister Imran Khan announced that Gilgit-Baltistan would attain Provisional Provincial Status after the 2020 Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly election.[13][14][15]. This move was however met with strong opposition from India which claimed that this was a Pakistani ruse to codify their illegal annexation of the region.[16]
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