20 Facts About Gilgit-Baltistan

1.

Gilgit-Baltistan, formerly known as the Northern Areas, is a region administered by Pakistan as an administrative territory, and constituting 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 from somewhat later.

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2.

Gilgit-Baltistan is six times larger than Azad Kashmir in terms of geographical area.

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3.

Territory of present-day Gilgit-Baltistan became a separate administrative unit in 1970 under the name "Northern Areas".

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4.

In 2009, the region was renamed to "Gilgit-Baltistan" and granted limited autonomy through the Self-Governance Order signed in by former Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari, a move that was reportedly intended to 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.

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5.

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.

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6.

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.

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7.

Gilgit-Baltistan 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.

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8.

Gilgit-Baltistan had visited the Tang court requesting military assistance against the Tibetans.

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9.

Gilgit-Baltistan was ruled by many local rulers, amongst whom the Maqpon dynasty of Skardu and the Rajas of Hunza were famous.

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10.

Gilgit-Baltistan 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.

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11.

The people of Gilgit-Baltistan were deprived of rights enjoyed by citizens of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.

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12.

Gilgit-Baltistan has been a member state of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization since 2008.

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13.

Territory of present-day Gilgit-Baltistan became a separate administrative unit in 1970 under the name "Northern Areas".

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14.

In 1993, an attempt was made by the High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to annex 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.

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15.

Gilgit-Baltistan thus gained a de facto province-like status without constitutionally becoming part of Pakistan.

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16.

Gilgit-Baltistan is administratively divided into three divisions: Baltistan, Diamer and Gilgit, which, in turn, are divided into fourteen districts.

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17.

Security in Gilgit-Baltistan is provided by the Gilgit-Baltistan Police, the Gilgit Baltistan Scouts, and the Northern Light Infantry .

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18.

Gilgit-Baltistan is a multilingual region where Urdu being a national and official language serves as the lingua franca for inter ethnic communications.

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19.

Population of Gilgit-Baltistan is entirely Muslim and is denominationally the most diverse in the country.

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20.

Gilgit-Baltistan is home to diversified cultures, ethnic groups, languages and backgrounds.

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