Natasha6581 at 02:31, 30 April 2026

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{{Short description|Political organization in Pakistan}}
{{Independent sources|date=April 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = March 2019}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date = March 2019}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = Balawaristan National Front
| logo = Flag of Balawaristan.jpg
| colorcode = #006E3B
| ideology = [[Balawaristan]]i [[nationalism]]
| dissolved = 1980s<ref name = "EarlyHistory"/>
| successor = BNF ([[Abdul Hamid Khan (Gilgit-Baltistan activist)|Hameed]])<ref name = "EarlyHistory"/><br /> [[Balawaristan National Front (Naji)|BNF-N]]<ref name = "EarlyHistory"/>
| country = Pakistan
}}
The '''Balawaristan National Front''' is a defunct<ref name="dawn">{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=12 September 2020|title=GB leader abandons anti-state activities|work=DAWN|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1579253|access-date=13 September 2020}}</ref> [[political party]] which sought Independence for [[Gilgit-Baltistan]], claimed as [[Balawaristan]], as well as claims in certain regions of the Indian-Administered Kashmir, [[Kargil district|Kargil]] and [[Ladakh]], as part of its historical territory.{{Citation needed|date=September 2020}}

==Background==
Balawaristan is a historic name for the [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] region of [[Pakistan]].{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} The party considers [[Baltistan]] a part of Balawaristan as well. The Balawaristan National Front was formed by [[Abdul Hamid Khan (Gilgit-Baltistan activist)|Abdul Hamid Khan]], Mohammad Rafiq, Shujaat Ali and [[Nawaz Khan Naji]], but has broken into two parties since then, the BNF(H) and [[Balawaristan National Front (Naji)|BNF(N)]]. This was because Abdul Hamid Khan had far more extreme views and was much more strongly nationalist than Naji, who restricted his demands to autonomy.<ref name = "EarlyHistory">{{cite news |title=The curious case of BNF-H |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/567829-curious-case-bnf-h|work=The News International (newspaper) |access-date=21 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118225534/https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/567829-curious-case-bnf-h |archive-date=18 November 2020 |date=26 May 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2009 as part of ''Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order, 2009'', the region was granted self-rule with an elected legislature for the first time in its history, despite protests from India (which regards the region as disputed territory).<ref name="reuters1">{{cite news|last=Shigri |first=Manzar |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2009/11/12/us-pakistan-election-idUSTRE5AB1ZE20091112 |title=Pakistan's disputed Northern Areas go to polls |publisher=Reuters |date= 2009-11-12|accessdate=2012-05-31}}</ref>

==Political positions==

=== BNF-H ===
{{further|Abdul Hamid Khan (Gilgit-Baltistan activist)}}
The BNF-H branch is a non functional branch which did not want to join India or Pakistan.<ref name=Outlook/> In a letter dated November 24, 2004 party Chairman BNF (Hameed Group) [[Abdul Hamid Khan (Gilgit-Baltistan activist)|Abdul Hamid Khan]] presented a peace proposal for Kashmir to President Musharraf and [[Manmohan Singh]]. This was however not accepted by any party.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2004/a_letter_from_balwaristan.html |title=A Letter From Balwaristan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430001437/http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2004/a_letter_from_balwaristan.html |archive-date=30 April 2008 |newspaper=The South Asian |date=24 November 2004 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On April 25, 2007 [[European Union]] published a report entitled 'on Kashmir: present situation and future prospects'. Section 2 of the noted the absence of democracy in [[Gilgit]] [[Baltistan]] region and in section 32 deplored the human rights violations in this region.<ref>[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+REPORT+A6-2007-0158+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN on Kashmir: present situation and future prospects], [[European Union]], 2007-04-25</ref> Partly as a result of this, President [[Pervez Musharraf]] announced a package for the [[Northern Areas]].<ref>[https://www.dawn.com/news/272121/northern-areas-to-have-elected-local-govts-president-okays-devolution-package Northern Areas to have elected local govts: President okays devolution package], [[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]], 2007-10-21</ref>

A 2-day conference on Gilgit Baltistan was held on April 8–9, 2008 at the European Parliament in [[Brussels]] under the auspices of International Kashmir Alliance. Here several members of the [[European Parliament]] (MEPs) expressed concern over the human rights violation in Gilgit Baltistan and urged the government of Pakistan to establish democratic institutions and rule of law in this area of northern Kashmir. Abdul Hamid Khan, Chairman Balawaristan National Front speaking at the same conference said "no democratically elected representative (from Gilgit Baltistan) was included when [[Karachi Agreement]] was signed between Pakistan and Muslim Conference leaders in 1949."
<ref name=Outlook>{{cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?216236 |title='Treated By Pakistan As Virtual Slaves' (Interview of Abdul Hamid Khan) |newspaper=Outlook |date=28 June 2002 |accessdate=2012-05-31}}</ref>

BNH-H was later banned by the government of Pakistan for having connections to the Indian intelligence, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and involvement in destabilising activities in GB, while its leader was distancing himself from the faction.<ref name = "EarlyHistory"/><ref name="dawn"/>

===BNF-N===
{{main|Balawaristan National Front (Naji)}}
The '''Balawaristan National Front''' also wants to give the people of Gilgit Baltistan representation in the Pakistani National Assembly and Senate, and to extend the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to the region.<ref name="et"/>

The party is represented in the 33-seat [[Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly]] by a single member, Nawaz Khan Naji.<ref name="et"/>

On November 3, 2003, Nawaz Khan Najee (the party's supreme head) participated in a rally demanding [[United Nations]] intervention regarding the status of Gilgit and Baltistan.<ref>[http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_2-11-2003_pg7_50 UN asked to intervene on constitutional status for NAs], [[Daily Times (Pakistan)]], 2003-11-02</ref>

The party later decided to field two candidates for the 33 member assembly, but neither was voted into power. However, the package, for the first time in the history of Gilgit-Baltistan, addressed the political grievances of the local population who had felt discriminated against as they were ineligible to vote in Pakistani elections (Pakistan regards the area as a disputed territory - and any attempts to incorporate the region into the Pakistani state would jeopardize its claim vis-a-vis India).<ref name="reuters1"/> The people of the region were granted self-rule, citizenship within Pakistan, and an elected legislature to administer the region.<ref name="reuters1"/>

The party fielded two candidates in the 2009 elections for the legislative assembly of [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] - though neither candidate was elected to the [[Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly|33-seat assembly]], which is dominated by mainstream Pakistani parties such as [[Pakistan Peoples Party|PPP]], [[Pakistan Muslim League|PML]], and [[Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam|JUI]]. However, in a special by-election in 2011, BNF founder Nawaz Khan Naji won the seat from LA-22 (Ghizar-I), with 46.4% of ballots cast in his favor.<ref name="et">{{cite web|last=Ali |first=Manzoor |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/159772/gilgit-baltistan-shocker-nationalist-candidate-wins-ghizer-by-poll/ |title=Gilgit-Baltistan shocker: Nationalist candidate wins Ghizer by-poll – The Express Tribune |publisher=Tribune.com.pk |date= |accessdate=2012-05-31|quote=Naji said that the federal government should declare Gilgit-Baltistan a province of Pakistan, give its people representation in the National Assembly and Senate, and extend the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to the region}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://pamirtimes.net/2011/06/07/nawaz-khan-naji-takes-oath-of-gbla-membership/ |title=Nawaz Khan Naji takes oath of GBLA membership |publisher=Pamirtimes.net |date= |accessdate=2012-05-31}}</ref>

In June 2015, BNF won the elections for Ghizer District beating PML-N by 92 votes. BNF collected 5,195 votes compared to PML-N of 5,102 votes. Nawaz Khan Najee was elected the CM of District.{{Citation needed|date=February 2018}}

Later on in 2015 Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly elections, Nawaz Khan Naji again won a seat in Legislative Assembly by winning from GBLA-19.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2015/06/09/pml-n-convinces-majority-in-gilgit-baltistan-polls/|title=PML-N convinces majority in Gilgit-Baltistan polls|work=Pakistan Today|date=9 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/283438-PMLN-emerges-as-largest-party-in-GB-elections-wit|title=PML-N emerges as largest party in GB elections with 13 seats|date=9 June 2015|work=Dunya News}}</ref>

In 2017, Nawaz Khan Naji expressed support for China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2017/04/02/fate-of-gilgit-baltistan-under-cpec/|title=Fate of Gilgit Baltistan under CPEC|work=Pakistan Today|quote=“We have no issues regarding China Pakistan Economic Corridor,” said Nawaz Khan Naji, Head Balawaristan National Front.|date=2 April 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement]]
*[[Kashmir conflict]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.balawaristan.net/ Website of Balawaristan National Front]
*[http://balawaristantimes.blogspot.com/ Balawaristan Times]
*[http://www.jammu-kashmir.com/insights/insight20080628.html The Human Rights Problem in Gilgit-Baltistan by Paul Beersmans], 2008-06-28
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110715165311/http://health.rediff.com/news/2004/mar/16inter.htm We are neither Pakistanis nor Kashmiris-Interview with Nawaj Khan Naji Part 1], [[Rediff.com]], 2004-03-15
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110713025714/http://www.indiaabroad.com/news/2004/mar/17inter.htm We are ready to fight against Pakistan-Interview with Nawaj Khan Naji Part 2]. [[Rediff.com]], 2004-03-16
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081202141604/http://emmanicholson.info/media/end-reign-of-terror-deprivation-in-gilgit-baltistan.html End reign of terror, deprivation in Gilgit, Baltistan], [[Emma Nicholson]], member [[European Parliament]], 2008-04-08

{{Ethnic nationalism}}
{{Stateless nationalism in Asia}}

[[Category:Kashmir separatist movement]]
[[Category:History of Gilgit-Baltistan]]
[[Category:Politics of Gilgit-Baltistan]]
[[Category:Separatism in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Political parties of minorities in Pakistan]]

Balawaristan National Front - Revision history

Natasha6581 at 02:31, 30 April 2026