Corruption galore
Gilgit-Baltistan is facing widespread poverty, unemployment and backwardness besides shameless corruption, nepotism and malpractice in all public and private sector organizations. However, all the tall claims made by rulers sitting in Islamabad to bring revolutionary changes in the system have become hollow. According to the latest information, Islamabad has so far released only 12 per cent of the budget it had sanctioned for Gilgit-Baltistan for the fiscal year 2010-11. Due to shortage of funds, all departments are unable to run their affairs smoothly and are at the verge of collapse. Corruption has so deeply permeated in government sector that it has now spread to non-governmental organizations too. For example, due to rampant corruption in the education and health departments their employees are compelled to resort to protests and strikes day in and day out.It is strange why corruption has destroyed all segments of society so fast when the nation still deprived of all basic rights and necessities has to go a long way in its struggle to get freedom to run its affairs on its own. Why corruption is getting stronger and stronger with each passing day and where the collective sense of responsibility and conscience of the people have gone? Where have all the values like honesty, brotherhood, truthfulness, and loyalty with the soil have gone?The misfortune of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan started over 63 years back when they won freedom through sheer force after expelling the Dogra ruler and surrendered to the belief that Pakistan had come into being in the name of Islam and as the people of this region also believed in Allah they should not even think of opposing Islamabad's policies. This was the first step towards the present mess in which Gilgit-Baltistan has been stuck because the country coming into being in the name of Islam soon landed in the hands of corrupt, conscienceless and dishonest elements. It is also a fact that even inside Pakistan those at the helms of affairs have never been considered as the torchbearers of the true principles of Islam which were to be implemented in the country as visualized by its founding fathers.The question is how our people took the step towards their own destruction without using their sense for a better future. One of the main reasons that played a role in keeping the people backward and unaware of their rights is lack of education which was from the day one denied to the masses under a well-hatched conspiracy. For the last so many years the youth of the region have been kept deprived of good education due to which sectarian education has been taking roots among the people. However, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the first non-local politician who realizing the political restlessness among the people of the region opened the doors of education system which was then available in almost all parts of Pakistan. But from that period also rose a deep-rooted and dreadful political conspiracy which slowly but steadily raised its head by promoting the dirty politics of outsiders in this region ultimately creating schism among the masses and dividing them on the lines of religion and ethnicity. This created a local class of so-called politicians who while wearing the cloak of local identity worked for the interest of the outsiders. At the end of the day, the local issues not only remained unresolved but also kept on increasing. People became so engrossed in their day-to-day issues that they forgot their main and actual issue that was to be resolved under the United Nations (UN) resolutions. As time passed, this world issue was forgotten giving a leeway to the rulers of Pakistan. This is also a fact that even today Kashmir remains a world issue while that of Gilgit-Baltistan, which is an important party to it, has lost its efficacy. More regrettably, our new generation is becoming alien to the main issue and unable to even realize that they have born salves to others and would remain in the same condition for ever if they did not want to change their fate. Though the people of Gilgit-Baltistan remain entangled in myriads of issues but it is also a fact that for the last about 10 years or so there has been lots of political awakening among the general masses in the region. This has also sent a shock wave among the rulers sitting Islamabad who considered it necessary to bring some sorts of political reforms in the region but at the same time they kept the masses enslaved by creating an artificial financial crisis. The ruling PPP last year raised the slogans of roti, kapra, makan and self-governance and succeeded in bringing to powers its stooges in the region. However, very soon these slogans were exposed to the people. At the moment, the situation is fast deteriorating in Gilgit-Baltistan with rising inflation, poor law and order, huge poverty and unemployment among the educated youth. The federal government receives billions of rupees from Gilgit-Baltistan every year but in return gives nothing to the people who are facing crisis after crisis and living in an uncertain environment. Though the federal government had promised some meager amount in its budget of the current year but like last year it is hesitating even to release that amount. As a result, almost all government departments in the region are near collapse.Some recent examples should be enough to expose the sincerity of Pakistan towards the welfare of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. It had promised that the communication infrastructure of Gilgit-Baltistan would be developed on modern lines. But it is evident to all that the road network remains broken down and the latest rains and floods have further eroded the. The feasibility of Ishkoman-Tajikistan road had been prepared but instead of initiating work on the vital project it was diverted to the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.The government had also promised to set up one engineering college and one medical college in the region but neither fund was allocated nor any feasibility prepared on the project. Despite opposition from the people, Islamabad is hell-bent on constructing the Diamer Dam in Gilgit-Baltistan which would cause large scale displacement of the locals. Due to rampant corruption in government departments, private organizations have also started deceiving people. Teachers in Aga Khan Education Service have been protesting against the organization for corruption and lack of facilities to them.If the masses remain unmoved and did not realize the gravity, the situation would become more pathetic in the near future. It is time the masses rise and launch a unified struggle to safeguard their rights and that of the next generation.

(www.bangesahar.com)