Baltistan Nationalism: Analysing the Struggle of Baltistan Student Federation for Identity and Self-Rule

Abstract

This dissertation is an attempt to give a detailed account on Baltistan nationalism by analysing the struggle of (a student organization known as) Baltistan Student Federation (BSF) for identity and selfrule. The national identity of Baltistan is not ethnic rather it is a geographical one. BSF considers the people dwelling within the geographical boundaries of Baltistan administered by India and Pakistan as the Baltistani nation. Although, BSF is a student organisation, its politics is not bound to student’s issues only. The discourse produced by BSF goes beyond student politics and indulges with basic human rights, the right to self-determination and discourse about self-rule for people of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). This study is expected to serve as a piece of writing towards a deeper understanding of Baltistani identity, nationalism and indigenous struggle for self-rule in a historical context. A qualitative methodology was used to understand the Baltistan nationalism, by understanding the discourse produced by BSF for identity and self-rule. The interpretive technique was used to analyse the gathered data. The results of this study revealed that the discourse produced by BSF has been a source of self-awareness and political consciousness for the students and youth of Baltistan. Further, the study shows BSF had significant success in the political arena of Baltistan which can be gauged by the fact that several members of BSF have been elected to Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly (GBA) multiple times. Many demands put forth by BSF have been fulfilled (such as the region was renamed from Northern Areas to Gilgit-Baltistan in 2009) and nationalists who were once disliked have now made space in society. The historical and socio-political background of Baltistan shows how this region has met with several external invasions and occupations which have tangled with the identities of people of the region. The local identities, the members of BSF talk about shows that these identities cannot be fixed rather are mixed and contextual in its construction. The Pakistani state has persistently tried to impose its Muslim national identity on the people of GB region mainly through consent (education system) and sometimes coercion, while ignoring the protection of indigenous cultures and sometimes at the cost of basic human rights. Even after 73 years the people of GB are deprived of a legal identity. BSF produces a discourse around local identities and self-rule and makes political and cultural claims under the concept indigenous rights as a central category. Key Words: Indigenous, Nationalism, Yi-ge script, Identity, Self-Rule, Baltistan Student Federation.