Balawaristan National Front (Naji) Explained

Balawaristan National Front
Native Name:
Native Name Lang:ur
Abbreviation:BNF
Predecessor:Balawaristan National Front
Leader:Nawaz Khan Naji
Ideology:Autonomy for Gilgit-Baltistan
Self-determination
Anti-taxation
Headquarters:Ghizer, Pakistan
Country:Pakistan
Founder:Nawaz Khan Naji
Colors: Green
Symbol:Revolver[1]
Spokesperson:Shafqat Inqilabi
Seats1 Title:Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly

The Balawaristan National Front (Urdu: {{Nastaliq|بلاورستان نيشنل فرنٹ BNF), more commonly known as the BNF, is a Pakistani political party of Gilgit-Baltistan. It was founded by Nawaz Khan Naji in 1989. The party calls for Gilgit-Baltistan to be given autonomy while still remaining a part of the Pakistani federation, and to be declared the fifth province of Pakistan.[2]

The party is led by Nawaz Khan Naji and has been represented in the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly by a single member, the aforementioned Nawaz Khan Naji, since 2011.[3] [4] [5] [6]

The party has high amounts of support in Ghizer District, where the founder of BNF Naji is from, and from smaller isolated pockets throughout the rest of Gilgit-Baltistan.[7]

Ideology

Gilgit-Baltistan autonomy

The main struggle of BNF is the autonomy for Gilgit-Baltistan. It calls for autonomy for Gilgit-Baltistan while being a part of Pakistan. It believes that Gilgit-Baltistan is a disputed territory. The BNF believes that Gilgit-Baltistan is a distinct entity and is separate from the rest of the Kashmir region. It also believes that the rulings of the Supreme Court of Pakistan should not be effective in Gilgit-Baltistan on account of it being disputed. The main aim of the BNF is to make Gilgit-Baltistan a self-governing, autonomous, constitutionally-recognized region within Pakistan, similar to Azad Kashmir, until the Kashmir Plebiscite.[8]

Economics

The BNF has expressed support for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.[9]

Anti-taxation

The BNF believes that Gilgit-Baltistan should be considered a "tax-free zone" and that the Federal Board of Revenue has no right to collect taxes from Gilgit-Baltistan, because Gilgit-Baltistan is currently a disputed territory.[10]

Self-determination

The BNF also believes in self-determination, and believes that the final say of Gilgit-Baltistan's status belongs with the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.

History

See also: Balawaristan National Front. The Balawaristan National Front was formed by Nawaz Khan Naji, Mohammad Rafiq and Shujaat Ali and Abdul Hamid Khan, but has broken into two parties since then, the BNF(H) and 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. The BNF(H) was banned by the government of Pakistan.

Electoral history

In 2011, the BNF fielded Nawaz Khan Naji, in Constituency GBA-19 (Ghizer-I) in order to win the by-poll that was occurring there. He won with 8,299 votes, and over 3,000 more votes than his closest competitor, Karim Ahmed Shah of the PML(N). After his victory, Naji was reported as having said "We have contested elections in the past but it is our first win in the legislative assembly".

Upon taking the oath of office on June 6, 2011, Naji promised to remain faithful to the state of Pakistan, and reaffirmed his belief that while his party wished to see Gilgit-Baltistan be a separate state, the final status of Gilgit-Baltistan had to be decided by the people of Gilgit-Baltistan rather than just one person or party.

Although he was the only nationalist member of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly, he was welcomed in and was given support by other members after he took his oath. One member of the assembly, Independent politician Deedar Ali, said (while talking about Naji): "If others try to sideline a member in the assembly, we will support him".

Naji once again ran in the 2015 Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly election to represent his constituency, GBA-19 (Ghizer-I), this time as an Independent politician, and won the contest with 5,259 votes (26.99% of the vote), narrowly edging out the PML(N)'s candidate, Shakeel Ahmed.[11] After winning the election, he switched his official party allegiance to "Balawaristan National Front".[12]

The BNF did not officially field any candidates once again in the 2020 Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly election, but Naji once again ran to represent his constituency, GBA-19 (Ghizer-I), in 2020. Preliminary and unofficial results have shown Naji is the winner in this constituency once again, winning 6,208 votes, over 1,000 more votes than his closest competitor, Pir Jalal Ali Shah of the Pakistan Peoples Party, who received 4,967 votes. He still claims himself as the leader of the BNF(N) on all social media websites, though, and certain news outlets have reported this as a victory for the BNF(N),[13] even though he officially has run as an independent candidate.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FINAL LIST OF CONTESTED CANDIDATES WITH ALLOCATED OF SYMBOL WHO HAVE FILED NOMINATION PAPERS WITH RETURNING OFFICERS OF 24 CONSTITUENCIES OF GILGIT-BALTISTAN. . contesting Candidates 2020.pdf . ELECTION COMMISSION GILGIT-BALTISTAN . 18 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201118203856/http://ecgb.gov.pk/download/constesting%20Candidates%202020.pdf . 18 November 2020 . 13 November 2020 . live.
  2. Web site: Yusufzai . Arshad . Contested status . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201117152715/https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/567226-contested-status . 17 November 2020 . 18 November 2020 . Contested status | Political Economy | thenews.com.pk . The News International . "Nawaz Khan Naji, head of Balawaristan National Front, partly approved the judgment of the SC by saying that GB is a disputed territory between Pakistan and India. "However, the court has exceeded its jurisdiction as it cannot issue orders to GB. The Supreme Court can only issue orders to the government of Pakistan as GB does not come under its jurisdiction. The SCP cannot implement the judgment either," he said.

    Nawaz Khan Naji added that the people of GB want full integration with Pakistan. "A win-win situation for both the federation and the people of GB will be to give autonomy to GB similar to the one practised in Azad Jammu and Kashmir."".
  3. Web site: Gilgit-Baltistan shocker: Nationalist candidate wins Ghizer by-poll . Gilgit-Baltistan shocker: Nationalist candidate wins Ghizer by-poll | The Express Tribune . The Express Tribune . 18 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190328030454/https://tribune.com.pk/story/159772/gilgit-baltistan-shocker-nationalist-candidate-wins-ghizer-by-poll/ . 28 March 2019 . 30 April 2011 . "GILGIT/GAKHUCH: The founder of the Balwaristan National Front (BNF), Nawaz Khan Naji, won the by-election in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Ghizer constituency, hometown of Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Pir Karam Ali Shah, on Friday." . live.
  4. Web site: Nawaz Khan Naji wins G-B by-elections . Nawaz Khan Naji wins G-B by-elections | The Express Tribune . The Express Tribune . 18 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160322172815/http://tribune.com.pk/story/159111/nawaz-khan-naji-wins-g-b-by-elections/ . 22 March 2016 . 29 April 2011 . "Nawaz Khan Naji from the Balawarastan National Front won the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly by-elections in the L-A 19 constituency of Ghazar on Friday." . live.
  5. Web site: GBLA ELECTIONS-2009 . contested 2009.pdf . ELECTION COMMISSION GILGIT -BALTISTAN . 18 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201118232019/http://ecgb.gov.pk/download/contested%202009.pdf . 18 November 2020 . 2009–2015 . live.
  6. Web site: Nawaz Khan Naji takes oath of GBLA membership . Nawaz Khan Naji takes oath of GBLA membership - PAMIR TIMES . Pamir Times . 18 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190922124710/https://pamirtimes.net/2011/06/07/nawaz-khan-naji-takes-oath-of-gbla-membership/ . 22 September 2019 . 6 June 2011 . live.
  7. News: The curious case of BNF-H . The News International (newspaper) . 21 June 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201118225534/https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/567829-curious-case-bnf-h . 18 November 2020 . 26 May 2019 . live.
  8. Web site: 28 September 2020. Pakistan Grants Provisional Provincial Status to Gilgit-Baltistan. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201029180457/http://minorityreporter.net/pakistan-grants-provisional-provincial-status-to-gilgit-baltistan/. 29 October 2020. 19 November 2020. Minority Reporter - Pakistan Grants Provisional Provincial Status to Gilgit-Baltistan. Minority Reporter. Nawaz Khan Naji, a former member of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, said the majority of the population, from day one, has been in favor of being part of Pakistan and wants complete constitutional authority. However, Naji believes that Gilgit-Baltistan should be granted a status like Pakistan-administered Kashmir until the Kashmir issue is resolved.
    “I favor this stance because I do not want any international complications in the settlement of the Kashmir dispute or a situation India might take advantage of.”.
  9. Web site: Zahid. Khadija. 2 April 2017. Fate of Gilgit Baltistan under CPEC. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170402230202/https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2017/04/02/fate-of-gilgit-baltistan-under-cpec/. 2 April 2017. 19 November 2020. Fate of Gilgit Baltistan under CPEC | Pakistan Today. Pakistan Today. "“We have no issues regarding China Pakistan Economic Corridor,” said Nawaz Khan Naji, Head Balawaristan National Front.".
  10. Web site: Lawmakers want GB declared tax-free zone . Lawmakers want GB declared tax-free zone - Newspaper - DAWN.COM . DAWN.COM . https://web.archive.org/web/20230502071133/https://www.dawn.com/news/1401555 . 2 May 2023 . 14 April 2018 . Taking part in the discussion opposition lawmaker Nawaz Khan Naji said it would be considered discrimination against the GB people by the centre if the region was not declared a tax-free zone.
    “When we demand constitutional rights, it is argued that GB is a disputed territory, but if GB is a disputed region than how FBR rules are applicable here,” he questioned. . bot: unknown . 19 November 2020 .
  11. Web site: Elections 2015 RESULT OF ELECTION, 2015 . ELECTION COMMISSION GB . ELECTION COMMISSION GILGIT BALTISTAN . 18 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201107154028/http://ecgb.gov.pk/election15.htm . 7 November 2020 . 2015 . live.
  12. Web site: MEMBERS . Members - Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly . Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly . https://web.archive.org/web/20201123184509/https://gba.gov.pk/members/?tenure=2&member_name=&party_name=6&constituency=&seat_type=&district= . 23 November 2020 . 2015–2020 . live.
  13. Web site: GB ELECTIONS: PTI TAKES LEAD IN GILGIT-BALTISTAN . GB ELECTIONS: PTI TAKES LEAD IN GILGIT-BALTISTAN - SUCH TV . SuchTV . 23 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201123184758/https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/gilgit-baltistan/item/102127-gb-elections-pti-takes-lead-in-gilgit-baltistan.html . 23 November 2020 . 16 November 2020 . live.

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