Zardari: Freedom of Northern Areas Highlights Unfinished Struggle in Indian-Held Kashmir
GILGIT — President Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday that the freedom and progress enjoyed by the people of Gilgit-Baltistan stand as a reminder of the unfinished struggle of their “brothers and sisters” in Indian-held Kashmir, according to “The Express Tribune”.
Addressing the 78th Independence Day ceremony of Gilgit-Baltistan which commemorates the region’s liberation from Dogra rule in 1947, the president hailed the people’s courage, patriotism, and role in Pakistan’s defense and regional connectivity.
“You have guarded our frontiers, carried the flag of Pakistan to the world’s highest peaks, and kept the spirit of freedom alive,” Zardari said after inspecting the ceremonial parade. “Gilgit-Baltistan is not only the crown of Pakistan but also our northern gateway, a symbol of our enduring friendship with China.”
He called the Karakoram Highway a “living monument” to Pakistan-China cooperation and said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had opened new frontiers of trade, energy, and livelihoods. He stressed that its benefits “must reach every valley and every village.”
Paying tribute to the martyrs of the Gilgit-Baltistan freedom movement, Zardari said the region’s people had “gained their own freedom and chose to join Pakistan.” Yet, he added, the occasion “reminds us of the ongoing suffering in Indian-held Kashmir, where our Kashmiri brethren still await their right to self-determination under UN resolutions.”
The president also underscored the region’s vast potential in tourism, hydropower, and education, proposing enhanced connectivity including a regional airline to boost economic opportunities.
Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, addressing the ceremony, praised the people’s resilience and unity. “On November 1, 1947, our forefathers freed themselves from Dogra rule without external help and chose Pakistan out of faith and conviction,” he said. He vowed to continue working toward equitable development and integration of the Northern Areas into the national mainstream.
