Zardari says G-B’s freedom highlights unfinished struggle in IIOJK | The Express Tribune

President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the freedom enjoyed by the people of Gilgit-Baltistan serves as a reminder of the unfinished struggle of their ‘brothers and sisters’ in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The president was addressing the 78th Independence Day ceremony on Saturday. The ceremony commemorated the region’s liberation from Dogra rule. The president reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination and highlighted G-B’s role in national defence and regional connectivity.

“You have guarded the borders, advanced progress, and carried the flag of Pakistan to the world’s highest peaks,” Zardari said after inspecting the ceremonial parade. “This region is not only the crown of Pakistan but also our northern gateway, a symbol of lasting friendship with China.”

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He described the Karakoram Highway as a ‘living memento’ of Pakistan-China partnership and said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had opened new avenues of trade and livelihoods. He stressed that its benefits must ‘reach every valley and every village’.

Paying tribute to the martyrs of the G-B freedom movement, the president said the region had ‘gained its own freedom and chose to join Pakistan’. However, he added that the occasion also drew attention to the ongoing repression in IIOJK.

“While you enjoy liberty and rights under the flag of Pakistan, the people of IIOJK continue to face occupation and repression,” he said. “Pakistan stands with them until they achieve freedom in accordance with the UN Security Council’s resolutions and their aspirations.”

Zardari also highlighted the region’s potential in tourism, hydropower, education and healthcare sectors, suggesting improved connectivity — including the possibility of a regional airline — to boost accessibility and economic growth.

Earlier, the president was welcomed by Governor G-B and Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan. A traditional cap was presented to the president before the parade ceremony.

Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Gulbar Khan said the people of the region remained patriotic and peaceful, and that the sacrifices of their forefathers continued to inspire them. He recalled that on November 1, 1947, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan ‘freed themselves from Dogra rule without external help and merged with Pakistan on the basis of faith’.

He said integrating the region more effectively into the national mainstream would fulfil long-standing public aspirations and ‘defeat the nefarious designs of Pakistan’s adversaries’. He added that the government was prioritising equitable resource distribution and development of under-served areas.

He urged citizens to honour the sacrifices of martyrs and continue working towards ‘a united, prosperous and economically strong Gilgit-Baltistan’.