Gilgit Baltistan region, which in its amazing
history has been known by various names, has one of the unique geographical
composition on the globe. Occupying an extraordinary varied and attractive
landscape, Gilgit Baltistan becomes a meeting point of world’s four famous high
altitude mountain ranges i.e. Pamirs, Hindukush, Karakorum and Himalayas. This
is also the region, which in the opinion of geologists, is the meeting ground
of “continents in collision” as the Indo-Pak sub- continental mass
emerges to integrate into Eurasian continent of
the north-west, leaving behind two main “faults” along the area.
Previously known as Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA), now Gilgit
Baltistan province, is a vital factor in the country’s fortunes. The mighty
Indus, the longest and largest river and a major source of Pakistan’s
agricultural strength meanders through the newly constituted province of Gilgit
Baltistan. With recent administrative changes in this part of the country, its
strategic significance has increased more than ever. Bordering three
neighbouring states, Gilgit Baltistan’s communication set up is undergoing a
considerable expansion and diversification for future trade and investment.
Furthermore, from the age of monarchies to popular democracy, the social interaction
and political culture of the inhabitants of the area has remained a model for
contemporary territories. Therefore, a
comprehensive socio-political study of Gilgit Baltistan is essential
in an attempt to examine the factors responsible for its gradual evolution in
the context of its history, ethno-culturalcomposition, geography,
socialization, economic potential, strategic location and politics. This paper
also deals with the future prospects by taking into consideration the political
response of the federal government with the view to restructuring the new
province on the basis of other federal units of Pakistan.
