International Mountain Day and Gilgit Baltistan

International Mountain Day is celebrated in Islamabad. 

The International Mountain Day is celebrated by Italian Embassy Pakistan, EvK2CNR and UNDP in the capital, Islamabad. Gilgit Baltistan's CM Hafiz Hafeez Ur Rehman was the chief guest for this event and his Excellency Stefano Pontecorvo was the guest of honour. Other diplomats, journalists, students and people from other walks of life participated in the event.

CM Gilgit Baltistan said that GB is blessed with countless natural treasures of which the mountains is excellent example. He said that for the mountains to be protected, it is necessary to fulfill the needs of the local people. Their daily life needs are interwined with the resources of mountains. He appreciated the support of Italian government in Gilgit Baltistan with projects implemented in different fields for last many years. He thanked for the commitment of Italian government to provide financial support for the ETI that will bring 800000 kanals of land under cultivation. He said that EvK2CNR with led by Mr. Agostino Da Polenza is working for the natural conservation and livelihood of the mountain people in GB. He highlighted the development initiatives of UNDP in GB and hope to have more interventions for the well being of the people.

Uptill now it was a conventional reporting of an official event. But today's article main aim is to highlight why the region rich with so many peaks is still in canyons? Why it is being forced into a constitutional limbo?

The reason can be explained in one word or you can write a whole book about it. The status of Gilgit Baltistan is not cleared even in the highest sessions of Government of Pakistan that's why we see contradictory statements from government officials. Recently the vow to make GB a full fledge province by PTI is broken after a series of talks followed by previous governments.

It seems that the Government of Pakistan is not willing to take any risk for the people of GB due to the fear of Indian lobby at international stage. India is against the decision of making GB the fifth province of Pakistan. India considers GB as a part of State of Jammu and Kashmir. The government of Pakistan is trying to satisfy the people of GB by giving the wardrobe of province and at the same time it is trying to remove the Indian concerns by removing the brand name (Province) from the wardrobe. Thus, pushing the people of GB in a wardrobe (Constitutional) limbo.

But how long?