Deprived of freedom, resources: edit in Weekly, Baang, July 7-13,2009

A survey says that Gilgit-Baltistan is gifted with all types of natural resources. Its land is laden with numerous minerals including gold, silver, copper, zinc, granite, marble, uranium and what not. It is said that world’s biggest reserves of gold are also found here. However, we see today that despite all these resources and God-gifted assets, the region is still remains plague with poverty, unemployment and resultant deprivation and a sense of alienation amongst the masses. From the 16th to 19th centuries, the British, Spanish, French and Germans sent out their agents in the forms of traders to get a foothold on the natural resources in various parts of the world. These marauders in the form of traders would come to an area, set up their so-called trade centres there, study the political and socio-cultural conditions of the local people, gather arms and ammunitions and then take over the political affairs of the country. Then they would enslave the local people and plunder their natural resources. The effects of these loots and plunders by the foreigners are evident in the shapes of rampant poverty, unemployment and other deprivations in most parts of Asia and Africa today. It was the characteristic of the colonial powers that they would formulate a plan to gain public support for their actions, including delegating to the people powerless positions in the local setup in order to check dissent among the subjects. The same is being done with the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. In 1947, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan gained independence from the Dogra Raj by force but with that an unending series of misfortunes started in the region. Today after passage of over six decades, we cannot see any field of life where these highly intelligent people are not subjugated against their wish? The people of the region even in the 21st century are deprived of the basic amenities of life and there is no hope that they would be getting their rights anytime soon if the conditions remained the same. This is despite the fact that the region is laden with abundance of natural resources and the locals have been deprived of the natural assets. Pakistani rulers and traders have been plundering the resources at the cost of the local only because the people of the area have happened to be simple and innocent and the outsiders have taken advantage of this. As a result, all areas of Gilgit-Baltistan today are presenting the scene of 18th century. Looking at the grim situation and realities, the people of the region should have to realize their responsibilities and obligations now. The people’s right to decide their own future and run their day to day affairs is undisputable and that right cannot be achieved while remaining confined to the four walls of one house. The right to use the natural resources for people’s good in accordance with their wishes can only bring out the masses from the present mess. People of the region have been hoodwinked into believing time after time that the so-called federalist forces would resolve all their woes. However, time has come that they should decide once and for all that the so-called political leaders have failed them not for once but for six decades.