Gilgit-Baltistan Independence Day (Urdu: یومِ آزادی گِلگِت بَلتِسْتان) ( Balti: གིལ༌གིད། བལ༌དིས༌དན། ལ༌ཟ༌དི༌ ྱཞིཀ༎) is celebrated on 1 November every year as independence from Dogra Raj in 1947 but Independence day of Baltistan is 14 August 1948.[1] Every 1 November is a holiday in Gilgit-Baltistan, the flag hoisting ceremony is attended by the Governor, Chief Minister, Force Commander Northern Areas along with civil and military officials and war veterans of GB.[2][3]
| Gilgit-Baltistan Independence Day (Indepedence Day of Baltistan is 14 August 1948) یومِ آزادی گِلگِت بَلتِسْتان | |
|---|---|
 Gilgit Scouts raising the Pakistani flag during Operation Datta Khel, c. 1947 | |
| Observed by |  Gilgit-Baltistan |
| Significance | Commemorates the independence and accession to Pakistan |
| Celebrations | Flag hoisting, parade, award ceremony, singing patriotic songs and the national anthem, speeches by the Governor and Chief Minister, entertainment and cultural programs |
| Date | 1 November |
| Next time | 1 November 2025 |
| Frequency | annual |
In 2020 during the GB independence day celebration event in Gilgit, former Prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan announced the Provincial Province status for Gilgit-Baltistan.[4][5]
History
editOn this day in 1947, Brigadier Ghansara Singh, the governor appointed in Gilgit by Maharaja Hari Singh of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, was arrested by the local force of Gilgit Scouts under Major William Brown through a military coup and with that, freedom was secured in Gilgit. An independent state was established here in the name of the Republic of Gilgit of which Raja Shah Rais Khan was appointed as the president and Captain Mirza Hassan Khan as the military chief. Fifteen days later, the people of Gilgit announced their accession to Pakistan on the basis of Islamic relations, and in this regard, the heads of both the states of Hunza and Nagar signed formal documents of accession with the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.[6] By signing, he also confirmed the public's sentiments and wishes.[7][8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Ahmad, Sajjad (1 November 2020). "HISTORY: THE GILGIT-BALTISTAN CONUNDRUM". DAWN.COM.
- ^ "Gilgit-Baltistan celebrates Independence Day today". www.geo.tv.
- ^ "Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) To Celebrate Independence Day On Nov 1". UrduPoint.
- ^ "Govt decides to give provisional provincial status to GB: PM". Latest News - The Nation.
- ^ "VIDEO: Pakistan PM Imran Khan announces provincial status for Gilgit-Baltistan". www.gulftoday.ae.
- ^ "Gilgit's Independence Day". 31 October 2017.
- ^ "The Kashmir that India Lost: A Historical Analysis of India's Miscalculations on Gilgit Baltistan" (PDF).
- ^ "Gilgit-Baltistan — part of Pakistan by choice". The Express Tribune. 8 January 2016.