Julay and good afternoon!

 On the Nineteenth Commemoration of Vietnam Human Rights Day, I express solidarity with the citizens of Vietnam and Gilgit-Baltistan who struggle for their universal rights, and do not hesitate from sacrificing their present for our future. And many among them have lost lives while struggling for the freedom of religion, expression, political activity and cultural identity. And while standing here, I express my commitment to continue their mission and speak for those who often dwell in isolation and don’t have a chance to speak for themselves. They are courageous people who might have failed to grab the media attention but surely deserve dignity and our support.

Case of Balawaristan (GB)  Urdu

Case of Balawaristan (GB) English

On May 4, 2013, Gilgit Baltistan National Congress held an event in Baltimore, Maryland. Senge Sering, Director of Gilgit Baltistan National Congress, moderated the event. Abdul Hamid Khan, Chairperson of Balawaristan National Front, gave the keynote speech. Other speakers included Sardar Ishak Sharif and Sardar Zahoor Khan. Speakers discussed the impact of Pakistan’s ongoing electoral process, cross-border trade, and Shia killings on the disputed region of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Abdul Hamid Khan talked about the role of Balawaristan National Front in promoting political, socio-economic and environmental rights of Gilgit-Baltistan. He shed light on the growing extremism and militant activity in the region, and denial of constitutional rights to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. He said, “The land of Gilgit-Baltistan could be disputed but the humans who are its citizens deserve basic rights.” He asked both Indian and Pakistani governments to resume travel over Astore-Srinagar, Kargil-Skardo, Chorbat-Nubra, Ishkoman-Badakhshan and Drass-Gultari roads.

Keynote Address of Chairman Abdul Hamid Khan

Environmental and Political Disaster in Gilgit Baltistan It is an honor to finally be able to stand here before you today in The Land of The Free and to have the freedom to express and highlight some of the serious political and environmental issues engulfing our region of Gilgit Baltistan. I extend my warm welcome to all the distinguished guests and express my gratitude especially to Michael J. Penders, Chairman of Foundation for Democracy and Rule of Law for Regions in Conflict (DLRC) for his tremendous support and also to his colleagues whose vital interest as human rights defenders, environmental and legal experts has enabled this august workshop to be organized to highlight the issues of natural resource exploitation, human rights violations, and recent unprecedented degradation of the environment in Gilgit Baltistan. I also extend my gratitude to the honorable academicians, scholars and other distinguished guests for being here today on the premises of world's prestigious George Washington University in Washington DC. This Workshop was organized to support the 2 million down-trodden people of Balawaristan (Pakistan occupied Gilgit Baltistan). We believe that your participation and contributions will not only provide moral support but will also bring into light the un-told miseries of 2 million down-trodden people of Balawaristan (Gilgit Baltistan) and its deteriorating ecological systems. Honorable Chairperson and guests, since for many of you this may be the first you are learning of the conflict of the region of Gilgit Baltistan, I would first like to outline the geographical significance of this region. Gilgit-Baltistan borders the Wakhan corridor of Badakhshan, province of Afghanistan and Tajikistan to the northwest, China's Xinjiang Uyghur Region to the northeast, the Indian-controlled state of Jammu and Kashmir to the south and southeast, and Pakistan controlled Jammu and Kashmir to the south, while Pakistan's Khyber Pokhtonkhowa Province (formerly the North West Frontier Province) lies to the west.

I submit several critical issues which are the most important for Environmental Security, Democracy and Rule of Law, consistent with the objectives of this workshop: The Integrity of the Justice System is the only Assurance of the Rule of Law As far as Gilgit Baltistan is concerned, it has been deprived from all rays of light of the world’s widely recognized Justice Systems since it came under the control of Pakistan. In reality, a true Judiciary does not exist in Gilgit Baltistan. There is no presence of the High Court and Supreme Court. There are two “Kangaroo Courts”: the Chief Court and Appellant court, whose members are appointed on contract basis by the Pakistani Authorities. The appointment of judges are not made on the basis of merit but solely on political and religious considerations and on money matters under the direction from the Pakistani regime and bureaucrats who hold administrative, financial and judicial powers in the area. It is a profound and sad irony that the 2 million indigenous people of this disputed land have no right to seek Justice anywhere. This is because we do not fall within the constitutional Jurisdiction of Pakistan and its courts. Pakistan fully disregards the Universal Declaration of Human Rights charter and the fundamental human rights of 2 million indigenous people of Gilgit Baltistan under its occupation. Freedom of Expression and Religious Freedom The fundamental right to freedom of expression occupies centrality in the domain of human rights, inseparably linked with each other without any room for selectivity. These may only be secured when there is an independent Judiciary, free media, and transparent political process guaranteed by the constitution of the land. Freedom for all good faith religious practices must not be infringed. Freedom of expression and religion does not currently exist in Gilgit Baltistan. Democracy, Political Repression and Absence of a Criminal Justice System for Terrorists and other Mass Killings Gilgit Baltistan remains void of political representation since the establishment of Pakistan’s control on 16th Nov 1947. There is no Democracy. Legitimate political leaders are persecuted, prosecuted, imprisoned, tortured, and sometimes killed. More than 100 local politicians including myself (Abdul Hamid Khan Chairman BNF) are facing sedition charges (in Gilgit, Gahkuch and Skardu Kangaroo Courts since 1997 till today). The number of sedition charges registered in Gilgit Baltistan alone outnumbers that of the rest of the world combined. Two million people of this UN disputed region are firmly ruled by the elected representative of Pakistan without the right to vote. The only elected body in this region is Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly. It is run directly by the government of Pakistan like a local body without constitutional power of legislation. The function of this Assembly is to present resolutions to Pakistani Authorities, who are not accountable to the GB Assembly. This so-called Assembly and its voters have no right to elect their representative for the parliament of Pakistan.

GENEVA: Pakistan’s main political parties including the PML-N, PPP and MQM have been criticised for negotiating with the banned militant outfits to gain vote bank as such practices damage the social fabric and provide leverage to anti-minority forces.

World Environment and Resource Council arranged an event titled “Pakistan Election Year: Democracy, Extremism and Minority Rights” at the United Nations Human Rights Council during the 22nd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council, which will end on March 22, 2013.

Chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement (GBUM) Manzoor Hussain Parwana has said that due to incompetency and lack of vision on part of the so-called political leaders and rulers of the region, the lives of the residents have become miserable.

These corrupt elements occupying key government posts are wreaking havoc with the system of governance that was already disputed and fraught with hollowness. The prominent nationalist leader of the region dwelt at length on the poor socio-economic situation, lack of peace, unemployment and backwardness of the area.

"GBUM wants Musharraf’s trial for killings 3 February 2013 SKARDU: Chairman Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement (GBUM) Manzoor Husain Parwana has demanded that former president Pervez Musharraf should stand trial on the charge of killing innocent people not only in Pakistan but also in Gilgit-Baltistan. In a statement here, he said Musharraf was responsible for launching the Kargil war in which hundreds of NLI personnel were killed. Not only this, Musharraf was also charged with killing innocent people in Gilgit-Baltistan at the behest of former dictator General Ziaul Haq in the year 1988.

Bangkok (Thailand). Three high ranking party leaders of Balawaristan National Front (BNF) led by Safdar Ali (ex central president BNF) met with their exiled  chairman Abdul Hamid Khan in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, on 12thJanuary 2013. This party leaders meeting was held first time after a long period after 1999. These BNF top leaders including ex General Secretary (central) Burhanullah and ex General Secretary district Ghizer Qayyum Khan discussed  regarding political situation of Gilgit Baltistan while the Chairman discussed in detail his political activities in Belgium and Geneva Switzerland. During the meeting, one of the highlights of issues under consideration was the Chairman’s coming back to his native country Gilgit Baltistan. The Chairman has shown his desire for returning to his homeland. He said that he will decide the matter in consultation with his party members if they so desire.
During the meeting discourse Mr. Khan elucidated that he and his party has not stood against the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan. His party (BNF) endeavour is to acquire the rights and honour of the indigenous  people of Gilgit Baltistan, Ladakh, Shhenaki  Kohistan and Chitral at par with Pakistan, Hindustan and other independent nations of the world. Thus our people would regain their social, economical, political, administrative and judicial rights without any discrimination, at par with the neighbouring countries i.e., India and Pakistan.

Rawalpindi. The Registrar Supreme Appellate Court Gilgit-Baltistan has taken a different stance while submitting his comments before the supreme court of Pakistan in response of a constitutional petition filed by Dr Ghulam Abbas and Gilgit-Baltistan High Court Bar Association regarding the regular appointment of the judges in the regional apex court instead of contract system appointment for the motivated and vested interest of the others.. According to the available documents, the Registrar of the Supreme Appellate Court Gilgit-Baltistan has taken the plea that the contractual appointment of judges in the supreme appellate court would not be fatal for the independence of judiciary in Gilgit-Baltsitan while ignoring the fact that prior to filing his comments, the court remain non-functional from 27^th September 2008 to 31 May 2009 and now the same position has also arisen in 2012, when the two judges stand retired, the court is again non functional from 26^th May 2012 due to the contract appointment system. The Registrar also went on to lamenting that the territories of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir have their own executive, legislative and judicial system and people of these two areas are citizen of Pakistan for allied purposes only, but he failed to point out that the judicial system of Azad Kashmir is equal to the judicial system of Pakistan as provided in the Azad Kashmir Constitution Act 1974 and judges of Azad Kashmir Supreme Court are required to serve till the age of 65 years, but in Gilgit-Baltistan, where-as the judges of Supreme Appellate Court are being appointed for a short period of three years.

 JAMMU, Dec 14:Concerned over the shabby treatment given to Gilgit and Baltistan by Pakistani Government, the political leaders and Legislators from that part of Jammu and Kashmir are hopeful that the process of dialogue initiated at various levels to resolve the conflict and improve the bilateral relations between India and Pakistan will bring smiles on the faces of people of that region also.
 In an exclusive interview to the Excelsior the visiting Legislator from Gilgit -Baltistan Assembly, Amina Ansari who is part of the delegation for Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation (CDR) that reached here from PoK yesterday expressed optimism that the dialogue process started by the Governments of India and Pakistan which, has been followed by the dialogue process by the civil society of the two nations will definitely help in improving the bilateral relations.
 Maintaining that the initiative taken by the civil society of both Pakistan and India has yielded fruits and this was because of it that the members of civil society of Pakistan are here to further the process of dialogue to bring the people of two divided parts of J&K closer to each other.
 “We have reached a stage and the dialogue process is in good progress which would continue as we hope some tangible results will be achieved in near future”, Amina Ansari a two- time MLA of Pakistan Muslim League added.

Baine Baba Ziarat, the highest point in Swat valley

ISLAMABAD: Syed Raziuddin Rizvi, the chairman of the GB legislative assembly’s public accounts committee, has said 16 days after getting freedom in 1947 the people of the region fell into the lap of Pakistan to become salves at the hands of Punjabis.

He said Sindhis, Pashtoons and Balochis have already become fed up with the slavery of the Punjabis and they are now raising slogans to get themselves free.

Talking to this correspondent here, Mr Rizvi said the set-up given to Gilgit-Baltistan under the self-governance and autonomy order 2009 was a joke and an injustice with the two million people of the region. He said that Gilgit-Baltistan was a disputed region and it seemed difficult that it could be declared the fifth province of Pakistan. He said in 1995, the Tehrik Fiqh-e-Jafaria had started a campaign to get Gilgit-Baltistan declare the fifth province of Pakistan, adding “It was also part of our manifesto in order to ensure all the facilities and basic rights for the people of the region but now it seems not possible.”

GENEVA: The exiled Chairman of Balawaristan National Front (BNF) Abdul Hamid Khan has said the recent passage of a resolution seeking provincial status for Gilgit-Baltistan by the so-called legislative assembly was a move not only to deceive the people of the region but also the whole Pakistan. In a press release issued to the media from the United Nations Commission for Human Rights in Geneva, Mr Khan said the people of Gilgit-Baltistan had never given the right to the dummy assembly to decide about their future.

He said the so-called assembly had no powers even equal to a union council of Pakistan. The members of this so-called assembly take votes from the masses of the region but so quickly accomplish any task on the orders their masters which can even not be done by any government officials. The assembly of Gilgit-Baltistan cannot legislate except passing resolutions, the BNF chief added. He said the assembly has no powers to do anything good for the two million people of the region but they have been given some powers to deal with matters pertaining to animals and wildlife, he added. The BNF chief said as the rulers of Pakistan had staged the drama claiming accession by the rulers of Hunza and Nagar and later had to enter a dubious agreement with the leadership of Kashmir in 1949, the Zardari government introduced the 2009 package to prolong the occupation of the area. However, the rulers of Pakistan have failed to realize that Gilgit-Baltistan is a disputed region and its status has to be decided by the international community in accordance with the aspirations of the people.

He said the rulers of Pakistan had been hoodwinking the international community about the issue but they should understand that a group of salaried persons can never decide the fate of a nation. This right to decide the future of the region is with the indigenous people, who can use their right under the UN supervision, said the BNF leader. The BNF chief said he was in unison with the stances of Nawaz Naji and Rehmat Khaliq but clarified that the statement of Nawaz Naji about the accession to Pakistan by the rulers of Hunza and Nagar was against the facts.

Establishment an accomplice in terrorisim : Parwana......

By Our Correspondent....
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement (GBVM) Manzoor Hussain Parwana has alleged that the incidents of terrorism in Gilgit-Baltistan are being carried out with consent of the security establishment. "It's out of question to carry out any in1cident of terrorism in Gilgit-Baltistan without node from the military establishment" he added. He said the military and civil bureaucracy of Pakistan and the local provincial government of Gilgit-Baltistan were misinterpreting incidents of terrorism as sectarianism to hide their own incompetence. "Had the massacres in Kohistan, Chilas, Babusar and Lolasar been sectarian in nature, the sunnis of Chilas won't have saved lives of hundreds of people in during Gunar farm fiasco and the shias of Baltistan won't have acted to save lives of sunnis in Skardu in the aftermath of the terrorist incidents" he observed. He said terrorists were running rampage on the KKH and writ of the state existed nowhere.

Friends,

For members who might be curious to know who these five young activists are who have been detained in Gilgit since September 2011, we have re-published their profiles, which first appeared in the June 2012 issue of the IS organ, Socialist: http://freebabajan.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/who-are-the-hunza-five/

The update - since this article appeared in June - is that, as a result of the dogged efforts of the legal team representing the five comrades and the increased pressure coming from the campaign abroad and within the country, two of the comrades, Rashid Minhas and Amir Ali, were released on June 27th but that the remaining three, Iftikhar Hussain, Ameer Khan and Baba Jan, are still detained under judicial remand in Gilgit.

As some of you may be aware, the campaign organised a public rally in Islamabad in solidarity with the detained comrades on Friday, July 6th. Almost 50 activists from Lahore and Gujranwala joined roughly the same number of comrades from Mardan, Swat, Gilgit-Baltistan and Rawalpindi/Islamabad that day. While the press corps of Islamabad saw fit to ignore our presence outside the press club, we did get some coverage in the Express Tribune and in the Gilgit-Baltistan press. Some images and short videos from the protest have also been posted to the blog.

The courageous stand of the Progressive Youth Front (PYF) in Gilgit-Baltistan is solid reason for hope for the coming years. Readers in Pakistan are requested to contact any of the following if they wish to take a more active part in the campaign:
Comrade Sherbaz, Free Baba Jan Committee, Karachi: 0333-328-0945
Comrade Ehsan Ali, counsel for the Hunza Five, Gilgit: 0346-252-4792
Comrade Sami Barcha, PYF, Islamabad: 0346-963-6889:
Amanullah Kariapper, Free Baba Jan Committee, Lahore: 0344-4648479

In general, if you already know any PYF, LPP or IS member, you can ask them to put you in touch with the relevant person in your area.

The next step in the campaign, as previously announced, is the All Parties Conference on the Anti-Terrorism Act, to be held in Islamabad on July 26, 2012. As anticipated by many of the speakers in the Islamabad rally, we wish to question the very legality of this act (and not just its systematic, highly selective application), which, in the opinion of many activists engaged in trade union, national or rights-based struggles, is simply a more potent form of the infamous "Maintenance of Public Order"(MPO) act inherited from British colonial rule.

Further details of the conference will be shared on this list as plans are finalised.

Regards,
Aman
(member LPP Lahore)

Brussels: Chief of Balawaristan National Front (BNF) Abdul Hamid Khan has slammed arrest of journalists in Gilgit, terming it an incident of state terrorism against journalists in the region.
In a statement issued from his office here, the BNF chief said a case should have been lodged against secretary law for his deeds instead the police lodged case against the journalists and harassed them for
their professional honesty.

Lahore, 4 June 2012: We the undersigned citizens, belonging to various sections of Pakistan’s civil society, express our serious concern and alarm at the information-leak from a responsible and highly credible source that there is a serious threat to the life of the country’s leading human rights activist and one of the most influential leaders of the bar, Ms Asma Jahangir. What makes the reported conspiracy to liquidate Asma Jahangir especially serious is, firstly, the environment of target-killings, in which dissident persons’ dead bodies are being dumped all over, and, secondly, the fact that the finger of accusation has been pointed at the extraordinarily privileged state actors. We wish to make it clear to all and sundry, especially those who preside over the security apparatus, that they must not under-estimate the consequences of any harm being caused to the life of Asma Jahangir. This is not a conspiracy against one individual alone; it is obviously a plot against Pakistan’s future as a democratic state, of which the threat to Asma Jahangir may be only one, though crucial, part. What the duty of the state in this matter is and how the civil society must face the challenge thrown to it need no elaboration.

The recent visit of American diplomats to Gilgit-Baltistan has raised many eyebrows in the region. People from a cross section of society in the region saw the mysterious visit of the diplomats, who arrived in     the region without taking permission even from the federal government,  as part of a great game being initiated in the disputed but strategic  region. Soon after reaching the city of Gilgit, the delegation met the finance minister of the region and inquired from him the economic position of the region.

On May 31, 2012, a three-member delegation of US Embassy consisting of Lisa Buzenos, Political/Economic Officer, Kimberly Phelan, Political Officer, and Khalid Javed, the Security Advisor, met Chairperson of Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement (GBUM), Manzoor Hussain Parwana in Gilgit, who was accompanied by the General Secretary of GBUM, Ghulam Shehzad Agha and member of Core Committee, Ali Noor Mazhar. Mr. Parwana appreciated the US government for financing the Sadpara Dam and supporting the non-profit sector in undertaking grassroots developmental work in Gilgit-Baltistan.

LONDON, MAY 22, 2012, World Sindhi Congress (WSC) – a London based human rights advocacy group,  strongly condemned the brutal murder of Sindhi Leader Muzaffar Bhutto belonging to Jeay Sindh Muthahida Mahaz (JSMM) in the hands of Pakistani security agencies. His tortured body was found stuffed in a gunny bag near Bukhari village in the limits of Hatri police station near Hyderabad, Sindh.
He was traveling in his car with his wife and younger brother on 25 February 2011, when they reached Saeeabad Tool Plaza, Hyderabad his car was stopped by plainclothes people belonging to intelligence agencies of Pakistan and he was taken away.

LONDON, MAY 22, 2012, World Sindhi Congress (WSC) – a London based human rights advocacy group,  strongly condemned the killing and injuring of the participants at a peaceful rally on 22nd May in Karachi. The ‘Love Sindh’ rally was organized by Sindhi Awami Tahreek (SAT) and various Baloch organisations of Karachi. The  rally came under sustained gunfire from hiding terrorists that resulted in the killing of 15 people including 4 women and injuring of more than 30, out of which 10 of whom are in life threating condition. Though the terrorists identity have been unknown so far, but both the ruling parties of Sindh PPP and MQM have been blamed by activists and media for their  blatant negligence to this apparently planned and orchestrated target attack on peaceful protesters.

They demanded their immediate release and access to medical treatment facilities. The condemned the local government for not taken any initiative to investigate the brutal torture of the prisoners.
In prison, Jan and his comrades staged protests and planned a hunger strike against the inhuman condition in jail.

National Archives of India The Lotus Sutra was discovered in 1931
A rare Buddhist manuscript, discovered by cattle grazers in 1931, has been released in book form in India.
The Lotus Sutra was found in Gilgit region, now in Pakistan.