Making Gilgit-Baltistan the Fifth Province

Why in news?

Pakistani government was considering making Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) the fifth province of Pakistan.

What is the importance of GB?

GB is one of the two parts of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The other one is “Azad Jammu and Kashmir” (AJK) and both formed part of the territory of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
The territory was handed over to the newly created state of Pakistan in November 1947 by the action of a British officer of the Gilgit Scouts.
Despite being in the service of the Maharaja of Kashmir, he revolted and joined Pakistan.
GB has an area of 72,000 sq. km and comprises about 85% of the total area of PoK.
It is a strategic location i.e. provides land access to China, contains vast reservoirs of fresh water and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes through it.
Despite this, GB does not form part of the territory of Pakistan.

What is the current move?

The administrative units of Pakistan consist of four provinces, one federal capital territory, and two autonomous and disputed territories.
The four provinces of Pakistan are Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KPK), Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.
The tribal belt adjoining KPK is managed by the Federal Government and is named FATA i.e., Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
Currently Pakistani government is planning to make Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) the fifth province of Pakistan.

What is its significance?

There are many impediments in the way of making GB the fifth province of Pakistan.
Previously, when every time such a proposal was made, the conclusion has been that GB is part of J&K and any such move would seriously damage Pakistan’s Kashmir case.
Two UN resolutions of 1948 and 1949 clearly established a link between GB and the Kashmir issue. It mentioned that “pending a final solution, territory evacuated by the Pakistan troops will be administered by the ‘local authorities’.
Making GB its fifth province would thus violate these UN resolutions that would damage its position on the Kashmir issue.
That would also be violative of the 1963 Pak-China Boundary Agreement that calls for the sovereign authority to reopen negotiations with China after the settlement of the Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India.
It is also violative of the 1972 Shimla Agreement that mentions that “neither side shall unilaterally alter the situation”.
Pakistan would also have to overcome the adverse reaction of Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC.

What is the reason behind the Pakistan raising the issue?

With a $50 billion investment in the CPEC, China would hardly does not want the CPEC route on a disputed territory.
Pakistan has raised the controversy to tell the Chinese how difficult it is to make GB its fifth province and how this would compromise its long-standing position on the Kashmir issue.
Thus the issue has been raised to appease China and distract India.

Source: The Indian Express