By: Mohammad Hussnain Balitstan Fri, 17 Mar 2006 13:42:31 .

Baltistan is calling for freedom and democracy
President G. W. Bush has just concluded his trip to South Asia. One of the countries he visited was Pakistan, a "major non NATO ally" and a "key ally in the war on terror". While in Pakistan, President Bush stressed on strengthening democratic institutions and conducting free and fair polls, as the country will experience second parliamentary elections in 2007 since General Musharaf’s bloodless coup seven years ago.

Due to lack of freedom of expression and political process, Pakistan is considered a “NOT FREE” country by reputable organizations like The Freedom House. The US State Department’s 2004 Human Rights report condemns Pakistan for widespread violations, including suppression of political and individual rights as well as rapes and extra-judicial deaths in the custody of security forces and police. People from Pakistani controlled regions of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) are not even allowed to cast vote or choose their representatives for the Senate and the National Assembly. One such region is Baltistan. My name is Sengge Tsering. I was born and raised in Baltistan.
Baltistan region was a part of the Ladakh province of undivided J&K and has been under Pakistani occupation since 1948. The people of Ladakh and Baltistan share a common language, culture, religion and customs. Balti traditions and culture - a blend of Tibetan, Islamic, Indian and Shaman rituals - reflects continuation of a moderate and pluralist society. The pre-dominant religion of Baltistan is Sufi and Shia, whereas rest of Pakistan is a heavily Talibanized Wahhabi society. The region is at the junction of Central Asia, China, and India, giving it a strategic location; equally attractive to traders, conquerors and tourists.

After 59 years of Pakistani occupation, a social paralysis is prevalent in Baltistan. Since then, Pakistan has treated the indigenous community the way China has treated Tibetans in Tibet. The Pakistani regime has damaged the peaceful social atmosphere, local religious, cultural and linguistic base, economic resources, and indigenous socio-political institutions that had evolved over thousands of years. The United Nations Resolutions on Kashmir clearly demand a complete and immediate withdrawal of Pakistani armed and civilian forces from Baltistan and other parts of occupied areas of J&K, followed by the transfer of regional administration to the local residents. After annexing Baltistan and Gilgit in 1948, Pakistan requested the UN to extend the withdrawal period from three weeks to ninety days. Fifty-nine years have passed and Pakistan has not complied.

Baltistan is barred from exercising democratic, constitutional, judicial or political rights granted to citizens in free countries. The local people are denied the right to cast a vote and choose their legitimate representatives. The Chief Executive of Baltistan is a Pakistani who has complete control over judicial, financial and political matters. Access to appellate courts is also denied to locals, which means that Baltis are only subject to the military tribunal of their occupiers.
Pakistan maintains heavy army, intelligence and paramilitary in Baltistan on a permanent basis. The military presence increases social instability and anxiety for locals. Sexual assault on local women by Pakistani armed forces is common. The soldiers’ immunity from criminal prosecution is a cause of fear for locals who do not feel safe within their own homeland. Further, army officers influence the induction, transfer and termination process of government employees, thereby bringing the entire workforce under complete military extortion. Job profiles and personal portfolios are collected on regular basis for all government and private work force by secret service agency (ISI). Locals live in fear as the inquisitive eyes of the secret service spy on them. ISI regularly intercept postal and electronic mail. Phone lines are tapped. Intelligence agents disguised as barbers, cobblers, sweepers and shopkeepers spy on local residents. The secret service interrogates natives who associate with foreigners and tourists and videotape such encounters. ISI agents intrude upon political and religious gatherings and tape conversations. Religious sermons of Shia and Sufi Imams are taped and reported to ISI headquarters on a regular basis.

Local people are denied the right to learn their language and script in schools. Local people are also denied the right to learn and practice indigenous religious teachings in educational institutions. A Talibanized Wahhabi curriculum is taught to local Sufi students, which promotes extremism. Extremist Wahhabis are being settled in Baltistan by the regime to transform the local demography. Talibanized Jihadi groups are continuously involved in the massacres of the local community. Examples are genocides of 1988, 1993 and 2005, where thousands of people were massacred. These incidents continued without interference under the eye of the Pakistani army and police.
Fearing cultural unification with Ladakh, Pakistan has refused to open roads that link Baltistan with Ladakh. Although Pakistan has allowed opening of five access points in Poonch and Muzaffarabad regions of J&K, the people of Baltistan are denied the same right by Pakistan. All major trade routes of Baltistan open towards India and closure of these roads has detrimental impact on the local economy. Further, thousands of divided families are waiting for opening of these roads and reunification with their families in Indian Ladakh.

The international media is denied access to report on human rights violations committed in Baltistan. The censorship of the local print media restricts Baltis, as well as the entire population of Pakistan, from knowing the political and ethno-cultural reality in this remote region. Secret services pressure local media to induct their agents as journalists. Radio Skardo is under strict supervision of military censors and exclusively voices government propaganda. The government propaganda disregards human rights violations and promotes the policies of repression. Independent journalists face brutal repression from government agencies when they release unapproved news. As of today, hundreds of journalists remain in government custody and are subjected to physical torture. Similarly, several local magazines and newspapers are banned, while publishers and editors face sedition charges and live incognito.

The people of Baltistan strongly desire to preserve the indigenous culture and language. In this regard, the majority of the local people desire re-unification with Ladakh. They wish to live in a pluralistic and democratic society, as enjoyed by Indian Ladakhis. This will not be possible as long as Pakistan occupies Baltistan. Local political parties and leaders demand that Pakistan withdraw its troops from the region. Further, a genuine local leadership must be given a chance in the official capacity to represent Baltistan during talks to resolve the Kashmir issue.
Bush Administration's policy to promote freedom and democracy in the Arab/Muslim countries, like Pakistan, is indeed laudable. The policy of promoting freedom has given the people of Baltistan a hope. Baltistan urgently needs US help in order to fulfill these goals.