In the cause of Allah

In December 2022, the Pakistani government appropriated commercial land in Gilgit-Baltistan, claiming that it belongs to the government rather than to the families who have lived on it for generations. This act is the latest in a long history of abuses against the people of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), who first came under Pakistani rule in 1949. Initially, the people fought against the Dogra (Kashmiri Maharajas) government and declared their independence in 1949. As a Muslim-majority region, the inhabitants preferred to join Pakistan. Gilgit-Baltistan is considered a disputed territory by China, Pakistan, the United Nations, and India. The Pakistani state oversees GB's political and administrative affairs. In 2009, GB was granted a provincial assembly with limited political power. Recently, riots erupted in response to the state's attempts to demolish property and appropriate land. The inhabitants of the region have expressed their anger over the forced appropriation of their land. ...