Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement

The Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement (GBUM) is a political movement of Gilgit-Baltistan based in Skardu, Pakistan. It demands a fully autonomous state consisting of Gilgit and Baltistan, formerly known as the Northern Areas.[1]

Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement
AbbreviationGBUM
ChairpersonManzoor Parwana
General SecretaryMuhammad Iqbal
FounderManzoor Hussain Parwana
HeadquartersSkardu Baltistan
IdeologyAutonomous Gilgit Baltistan

The GBUM states 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.[2]

Claim to recover a past independence

edit

According to the GBUM, the region enjoyed a brief period of independence between November 1, 1947, when the suzerainty of the Dogra rulers of the Kashmir princely state ceased to exist, and November 16, 1947, when the Pakistani tribal forces and Pakistani Army soldiers invaded the region.[3][4] 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.[5]

Gilgit–Baltistan Democratic Alliance (GBDA)

edit

Before the GBUM, there was a Gilgit-Baltistan Democratic Alliance (GBDA), promoting the same claims, together with the Balawaristan National Front (claiming the independence of a larger political entity, Balawaristan).[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Gilgit-Baltistan leaders reject Musharraf's empowerment package". Webindia123.com. Asian News International. 22 March 2012. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012.
  2. ^ "Gilgit Baltistan United Movement (GBUM) Letter to Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, October 12, 2006". Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  3. ^ Sarwar Kashani, Gilgit leaders call official Independence Day a 'joke', Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), Wednesday November 21, 2007
  4. ^ Manzoor Hussain Parwana, Gilgit Baltistan a saga of Pakistani Colonisation Indo-Asian News Service, June 27, 2007
  5. ^ Schofield, Victoria (2003). Kashmir in conflict: India, Pakistan and the unending war. I.B.Tauris. pp. 64–67. ISBN 978-1-86064-898-4.
  6. ^ "UN asked to intervene on constitutional status for NAs". Daily Times (Pakistan). 2003-11-02. Archived from the original on 2004-01-28.
edit