Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement
Encyclopedia
The Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement (GBUM) is a political movement of Gilgit-Baltistan based in Skardu
. It demands a fully autonomous state consisting of Gilgit
and Baltistan
, also known as the Northern Areas.
The GBUM demands that the Gilgit
-Baltistan
regions, formerly known as the Northern Areas, should be denoted "Gilgit Baltistan" and that the Northern Areas Legislative Council should be given the status of an "Independent Constitutional Assembly" and given similar rights granted to the existing Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
rulers of the Kashmir princely state ceased to exist, and November 16, 1947, when the Pakistani army took over the region. According to British Major William Brown, there was a secret plan among the Gilgit Scouts
to set up a "Republic of Gilgit-Astor" when they ousted the armed forces of the Maharajah of Kashmir's armed forces on November 1, 1947, but already on November 2, the Pakistani flag was raised in Gilgit.
(claiming the independence of a larger political entity, Balawaristan
) and the local branches of two Pakistani Islamic fundamentalist
parties, Jamiat-e-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam
.
Skardu
Skardu , is the main town of the region Baltistan and the capital of Skardu District, one of the districts making up Pakistan's Gilgit Baltistan....
. It demands a fully autonomous state consisting of Gilgit
Gilgit
Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport...
and Baltistan
Baltistan
Baltistan , also known as بلتیول བལིུལ་ in the Balti language, is a region in northern Pakistan which forms Gilgit-Baltistan, bordering the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. In addition, a part of Baltistan also falls into Jammu and Kashmir of India. It is situated in the Karakoram mountains...
, also known as the Northern Areas.
The GBUM demands that the Gilgit
Gilgit
Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport...
-Baltistan
Baltistan
Baltistan , also known as بلتیول བལིུལ་ in the Balti language, is a region in northern Pakistan which forms Gilgit-Baltistan, bordering the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. In addition, a part of Baltistan also falls into Jammu and Kashmir of India. It is situated in the Karakoram mountains...
regions, formerly known as the Northern Areas, should be denoted "Gilgit Baltistan" and that the Northern Areas Legislative Council should be given the status of an "Independent Constitutional Assembly" and given similar rights granted to the existing Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
Claim to recover a past independence
According to the GBUM, the region enjoyed a brief period of independence between November 1, 1947, when the suzerainty of the DograDogra
The Dogras are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group in South Asia. Being a diversified group, the Dogras include both Savarnas such as Brahmins, Rajputs and Non-savarnas. The Dogras also incluide merchant castes such as Mahajans...
rulers of the Kashmir princely state ceased to exist, and November 16, 1947, when the Pakistani army took over the region. According to British Major William Brown, there was a secret plan among the Gilgit Scouts
Gilgit Scouts
The Gilgit Scouts is the name of a paramilitary force that was originally raised, under the name the "Gligit Levies", in 1889, by British Army Colonel Algernon Durand...
to set up a "Republic of Gilgit-Astor" when they ousted the armed forces of the Maharajah of Kashmir's armed forces on November 1, 1947, but already on November 2, the Pakistani flag was raised in Gilgit.
Gilgit-Baltistan National Alliance (GBNA)
Before the GBUM, there was a Gilgit-Baltistan National Alliance (GBNA), promoting the same claims, together with the Balawaristan National FrontBalawaristan National Front
The Balawaristan National Front is a political party seeking the independence of what they call Balawaristan located in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.-Background:...
(claiming the independence of a larger political entity, Balawaristan
Balawaristan
Balawaristan is an historical name of Gilgit-Baltistan that has regained some prevalence in recent years. The archaic English spelling for the name was Boloristan, and its first known documented usage is in Chinese sources from the 8th century AD. Gilgit-Baltistan includes Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza,...
) and the local branches of two Pakistani Islamic fundamentalist
Islamic fundamentalism
Islamic fundamentalism is a term used to describe religious ideologies seen as advocating a return to the "fundamentals" of Islam: the Quran and the Sunnah. Definitions of the term vary. According to Christine L...
parties, Jamiat-e-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam is a political party in Pakistan. It formed a combined government in national elections in 2002 and 2008...
.
External links
- Discord in Pakistan’s Northern Areas, Asia Report N°131 (International Crisis GroupInternational Crisis GroupThe International Crisis Group is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization whose mission is to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts around the world through field-based analyses and high-level advocacy.-History:...
), 2 April 2007