Why Gilgit-Baltistan could not become a new province of Pakistan #pakistan #india #gilgitbaltistan

, Gilgit-Baltistan was not officially recognized as a full-fledged province of Pakistan. Instead, it was administered as a self-governing region with limited autonomy. There were several reasons why Gilgit-Baltistan had not been granted full provincial status up to that point:

1. Disputed Territory: One of the primary reasons for not granting provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan was the ongoing territorial dispute between India and Pakistan over the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, which includes Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistan's stance on the dispute was that the final status of the region should be determined through a United Nations-mandated plebiscite, and until then, it did not want to change the administrative status of the region.

2. International Implications: Changing the status of Gilgit-Baltistan to a full province could have significant international implications and could potentially affect the broader dispute over Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan's government was cautious about taking steps that might be viewed as altering the status quo in the region and wanted to avoid any actions that could complicate international efforts to resolve the dispute.

3. Geopolitical Considerations: The geopolitical dynamics of the region, including the involvement of neighboring countries like China and India, also played a role in Pakistan's decision to maintain the status quo in Gilgit-Baltistan. Any change in administrative status could have consequences for regional stability and security.

4. Local Autonomy: Despite not being a full province, Gilgit-Baltistan had a degree of self-governance. It had its own legislative assembly and government, which allowed for a measure of local autonomy in matters such as governance and resource management. Pakistan may have preferred to maintain this arrangement rather than altering the administrative structure.