THERE are many regions on the surface of this earth which play a vital role in terms of geo-strategic or geo-economic positions. These places also contribute to either the harmony or disharmony of the people of the region. One such region lies in the north of Pakistan where, as a matter of fact, the fundamental rights of the people have been violated.
Gojal — presently an international border tehsil and the backbone of the former princely state of Hunza — is spread over an area of thousands of square kilometres. It is the largest tehsil in terms of its extensively-scattered territory in the Northern Areas. Gojal bridges Pakistan with China (Xingjiang — Taghdumbash Pamir). To its West lies the Pamir-i-Khurd (Little Pamir) of Badakhshan province in Afghanistan. All the important geographical links with China and Afghanistan originate from this area.
Besides nature’s other blessings in terms of high mountains (Putun Das), high pasturelands and glaciers, one of the most famous steppes and plateaux of Shimshal Pamir, Khunzhrav National Park and Batura Glacier are also situated here. At the local level, Gojal is without a doubt, the backbone of Hunza while at the national level, it is the only gateway between Pakistan and China (also one of the most important and alternative gateways to Central Asia).
Gojal comprises more than thirty scattered villages with a population of 20,000. Besides agriculture, people are also employed in the public and private sectors. Some also engage in business activities. Predominantly Wakhi Tajik ethnic group along with Burushaski and Domaki speaking people, do live together in this region. And almost all of the people belong to the Shia Imami Ismaili school. The literacy rate is roughly 30% and 100% of the children of the both sexes attend school. Four types of academic institutions are present in this area: Government, Aga Khan Education Service, English medium schools and SAP.
However, despite such varied variety of educational institutions, there is just one boys high school in this tehsil. Government-run, it has just ten teachers. Rest of the teaching staff appointed for this school is serving in other regions. Majority of the students from both sexes, specially the females, get through their schooling, specially their matriculation exams and then stay at home. The same situation applies to male students, except they move to the commercial hubs of the country, especially Karachi.
In the health sector, there is the only a dispensary along with an MBBS doctor in the entire tehsil. Although there are some government health units and Aga Khan Health Services are present in some villages. But, unfortunately there is not a single hospital. Patients either have to go to Central Hunza, 50 to 150 km or to Gilgit, 150 to 300 km away. High medical cost too keeps the poor patients away. The result is that patients even with minor cases, prefer not to go through the whole process, in the hope that the ailment will go away. Different government institutions are present here. FIA, IB, Customs, Immigration, PTDC, NATCO, Forestry and others are here in Gojal. But, unfortunately, the provision of health services to the local community has been ignored. Rather one can say that it is denied nearly to the whole extent.
Keeping in views the aforementioned problems, the Federal government of President Musharraf is requested to take positive steps to rectify the wrong. Some steps that he should take include:
1. Promptly establish four high schools for girls. One each in Gulmit, Avgarch Valley, Chipursan Valley and Shipmshal Valley. Shipmshal, where the population is 1500, still does not have road communication.
2. Also, three high schools for boys should be establishment, one each in the valleys of Avgarch and Chipursan and Shimshal. In Chipursan Valley there are fourteen villages.
3. Two Intermediate colleges, with hostel facilities should be established. One each in Gulmit and one in Gujal tehsil.
4. A hospital each in Gulmit and Sost, of 15 beds each should be established. At the same time, another two hospitals of five beds at least should be established in Chipursan and Shimshal.
5. Competent local community members of Gujal must be encouraged to seek employment and so facilitated in the different institutions of public sectors, such as Customs, Immigration, FIA, IB, and Khujerab Security Force and police in Sost and within this tehsil.
6. For the huge and scattered population of Hunza Valley, there is only one political representative in the Northern Areas Legislative Council. Therefore, another seat to Hunza should be allocated so that full attention could also be paid towards this deprived tehsil.
President Musharraf is expected to visit the Northern Areas, including Gojal Hunza. Though the purpose of his visit will be to lay the corner stone of the Silk Route Dry Port, I still hope that he will pay some attention to the needs and problems of Hunza Valley on the whole.
THERE are many regions on the surface of this earth which play a vital role in terms of geo-strategic or geo-economic positions. These places also contribute to either the harmony or disharmony of the people of the region. One such region lies in the north of Pakistan where, as a matter of fact, the fundamental rights of the people have been violated.
