Liberating #Independence air, let's vow to break Pakistan-China's unholy nexus shattering many ancient archaeological footprints in Gilgit Baltistan!
With the idea of pumping up its energy sector, Pakistan pitches to set up its ambitious project of Dasu Hydropower Project in Kohistan District citing it as ‘Vision 2025’. Teaming up with China, Pakistan indeed is neglecting issues concerning natural, human inhabitants and archaeological beauties the province of GB inherits.
Dark Chapter of Gilgit Baltistan
With the entire globe highlighting the atrocities being committed by the brutal Pakistan Army on the natives of Gilgit Baltistan Area of Jammu & Kashmir under Pakistan’s illegal occupation. Standing up for their rights, the spontaneous protests that drew lakhs of people have been perpetually crushed with the Army and the police brutally cracking down. The fact is that the people of this area have been leading a life of subjugation ever since 1947.
Pakistan continues to hold hostage the innocent people of the region for its economic and strategic reasons. The status of the area though disputed has been kept ambiguous by Pakistan. There has been a simmering discontent among people from PoK for a long time. There are common opinions that people in PoK are being deliberately oppressed in comparison to other provinces of Pakistan, and even elections are farcical. The people want freedom from the oppressive Pakistani regime. They now look up to India and seek its support.
It’s time for India
Watching the helpless and destitute situation of people in Gilgit Baltistan, it is time for India in revert to the massive atrocities and Human rights violations that the people of the region are being subjected to for no fault of theirs.
PM Modi's in his speech on Independence Day, 2016 expressed high gratitude for the appreciation coming from the people. In his statement he said,
India has always stood strong like a strong pillar of support for the people from Balochistan, Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. India has shown the mirror to Pakistan in United Nations and called them a ‘terror factory’ and asked to vacate PoK. India’s External Minister Sushma Swaraj too warned Pakistan for such conspiring and illegitimate moves and vowed to bring PoK to the original form of Jammu and Kashmir.
It would be in India’s interest to bring Gilgit-Baltistan into the lime light and give moral support to the people who are, in any case, deprived citizens of the Indian nation. Ways and means have to be found to ameliorate the terrible suffering of the people. The demands of the people as articulated by their freedom fighters operating from overseas can be taken up through diplomatic channels. India should not shy away from extending wholehearted support to the aspirations of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Dasu Dam Project: ‘Vision 2025’
To overcome the acute energy crisis, Pakistan made way for The Dasu Dam Project which has been envisioned as the Vision 2025 Program. The Project has been intended to be a major investment proposed by the Government of Pakistan (GoP) to reform and enlarge the energy sector of the country.
The project is located at 7 km North of Dasu Town in Kohistan District of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and 350 km north from Islamabad being the capital of Pakistan. The site is 74 km downstream of proposed Diamer Basha Dam Project site.
Why does Pakistan need this Vision 2025 Program?
Pakistan is suffering from an acute energy crisis which is primarily caused by an increasing gap between insufficient supply and a growing demand. The demand for power in the country is still relatively low compared with more industrialized countries. If Pakistan’s production is not accelerated, the gap between demand and supply is expected to increase to over 17,000 MW by 2029.
To accomplish this dream project of Pakistan, the funding has been provided by the World Bank, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Deutsche Bank and Aga Khan Development Network.
Wondering how China came in this picture?
Owing to the history of Gilgit-Baltistan, the region owes to be a legitimate part of Jammu and Kashmir when the accession document was signed by Raja Hari Singh in 1947. But the betrayal of some British officers and raised communal sentiments hijacked the Gilgit-Baltistan at that time. The map of Jammu and Kashmir features the area as part of India.
However in the year 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded the Shaksgam Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan to China in a 1963 border agreement. The area is significant to both Pakistan and China as the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes through the region. Interestingly, it is also believed that due to China’s pressure Pakistan is planning to declare Gilgit-Baltistan its 5th Province.
With this Hydropower Project coming into limelight with China shelling out ounces of money on this project, Pakistan has anticipated in submitting the main works of DASU Hydropower project to be constructed by China Gezhouba Group Company Limited. With Pakistan foreseeing a bright future for self, China acts like a hungry monger who just
Pakistan’s desire, China’s benefit!
With Pakistan joining hands with China on this ambitious project, the project attempts to fill in the hunger monster that China is! With Pakistani forces attempting to occupy the land and natural resources from Gilgit Baltistan, China with its suppressed attitude will smile owning the land without any much effort.
The bigger issue that will soon gain more traction is the build-up of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It will pass majorly through Gilgit-Baltistan and will use up a major portion of the abundant resources of the region without giving even one penny to the locals. The plan is to pass off all the benefits directly to the Chinese and the Punjabi elite while the suffering comes in the lot of the local people.
Vision 2025 shatters many archaeological dreams!
With the ambitious project of Pakistan coming on board, the Dasu Hydropower Project has been projected to affect a large field of pre historic and historic rock carvings. These archaeological carvings are found on both sides of the Indus at the upper reaches of the future reservoir. The rock art dates from Stone Age (8-9th millennium BC) to Buddhist and Islamic periods. While the proposed Dasu project will not directly impact any of the known rock carvings, about 20,000 of these engravings will be lost due to submergence from the Diamer Basha reservoir in future.
With this idea of destruction to these archaeological sites, the importance of strengthening protection of the remaining engravings which are outside both Dasu and Basha submergence zones is heightened, given their archaeological significance.
It has been noted that the Shatial rock carvings will not be submerged, but these pieces of rock art are not protected and are endangered by on-going developments from construction works and other activities along the Karakoram Highway. Since this will be the only remaining in-situ area of rock art, it is recommended that DHP help to save them from further destruction and vandalism, by assisting the KP Department of Archaeology and Museums.
The project will not only create damage to the historic carvings but also cause displacement of 767 households with 9,653 inhabitants in 34 villages. The natural habitat of the country has also been kept under stake of their “Vision 2025” Program. However, the Government of Pakistan has sought alternatives for resettlement for the affected communities.
What will the Pakistan do for Resettlement of GB?
Sighting all this GoP highlighted to resettle the projected issue on submergence of Buddhist carvings and other historic archaeology. For this, Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) on December 15th, 2015 had signed a contract worth Rs571.95 million with China Railway First Group for construction at resettlement sites and building the Shatial museum; the two schemes that are part of the Dasu hydroelectric power project.
The contract includes construction at three sites for the resettlement of displaced people belonging to Choochang village and developing an open-air museum at the archeological site of Shatial to conserve pre-historic rock carvings. Work on these schemes is expected to be completed in one and a half years.
On the periphery of the Dasu reservoir, a cluster of 46 rock carvings will not be affected even during flood overpowering through Dasu reservoir. Rather the proposed reservoir will add to the beauty and grandeur of these Petroglyphs by providing an environment with a beautiful water body adjacent and in a background of this location. Consequently it will have a positive impact and encourage tourism.
Apart from the rebuilding and resettlement stance taken by the country, Pakistan Government decided to construct two museums to preserve 33, 000 rock carvings, sculptures and statures of Buddha discovered from the site of construction of Bhasha Dam. In order to accomplish this task in more professional way, Wapda has hired services of an international consultant Dr Herald Hauptmann who belonged to Germany and working on preserving heritage in the area from last two decades.