Nestled in the heart of the Himalayas, Baltistan has often been referred to as Little Tibet. The region is home to centuries-old civilisation. Here, a vibrant tribal culture thrives. Social life is marked by inter-sectarian marriages and respect for religious scholars, who contribute to a remarkable sense of religious harmony.

Baltistan comprised Skardu, Shigar, Ghanche, Roundu and Kharmang district. It is inhabited by several tribes, including the Shin, Yashkon, Balti, Kashmiri, Brosheski and Porki clans. These communities are further divided into clans who speak 14 major languages and several dialects. Still they share a cultural heritage and identity, creating a unique tapestry of traditions and beliefs.

41 percent of the population is Shia Muslim, followed by Sunnis 30 percent, Ismailis 24 percent and Noorbakshis 6 percent. Historically, the region has enjoyed religious harmony. Even when the rest of the country witnessed some of the worst violence in the ’90s and early 2000s, Baltistan remained calm. Unfortunately there have been reports of disturbing violence from close by districts of Gilgit, Darel, Tangir and Chilas.

According to Muhammad Yousuf Hussainabadi, a professor emeritus at the Baltistan University, “The society has been very careful in its choice of its religious leaders, revering the mature scholars and keeping the shallow-knowledge zakireen (evangelists) at arm’s length. It is their firm belief that the latter category, with its incendiary rhetoric, inflammatory speech and passionate appeals, only fuels tensions, ignites passions and damages fragile peace and painstakingly crafted unity.”

M Ashraf Sada, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz spokesman for Gilgit-Baltistan and a former chairman of the Standing Committee for GB Council, credits the religious scholars for maintaining peace in Skardu. He says Allama Shaikh M Hassan Jafferey, Maulana Ibrahim Khalil, Dr M Ali Johar, the late Maulana Kasir and the late Shaikh Ghulam Mohammad, among others, had engaged the Skardu population to prevent peace and harmony from being derailed. Despite provocations such as derogatory wall chalking, or attacks against the people of Skardu on the Karakoram Highway leading to strong calls for revenge, these leaders have always prevailed to defuse the crisis, says Ashraf Sada.

The Skardu society is replete with examples of tolerance of diversity and sectarian harmony. The first-ever translation of the Holy Quran into the Balti language by a Shia scholar is part of the curricula of Madressah Banat, an Ahle Hadith seminary for girls. Recently, the management of a Shia mosque donated land for a Brailvi mosque right across the road in Kushura in Skardu city. Khaplu’s Chaqchan mosque allows the Nurbakhshis and Shias to offer prayers under the same roof, according to an agreed schedule. The Chaqchan Mosque or Miraculous Mosque, established in 1370, has served various communities, including Buddhists, before there was a mass conversion to Islam. It has a longstanding tradition of inclusivity.”

Until 1952 there was no separate mosque for Nurbakhshis. Similarly, until 1982, the Ahle Hadith used to pray in Hanafi mosques. Even to this day when Shias go to Ahle Hadith mosques and vice versa they are happily welcomed, says Prof Hussainabadi. In earlier times, there were fewer mosques and people of one sect allowed those other to offer their prayers there, says Prof Hussainabadi. The tradition continues to this day, he adds.

Shia Muslims account for 41 percent of the population, followed by Sunnis 30 percent, Ismailis 24 percent and Noorbakshis 6 percent. Historically, the region has enjoyed religious harmony. Life in Skardu is replete with examples of tolerance of diversity and sectarian harmony.

For ages, the people of Gilgit adjoining Kohistan district and nearby Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have interacted with the surrounding population and been influenced by cultural and political developments flowing through the historic Khyber Pass. For trade and commerce, they travel as far as the Middle East. In the early 19th Century, when the Ottoman Empire collapsed, they were influenced by the newly developing religious movements that transformed the Arabian Peninsula.

Against this backdrop, Prof Hussainabadi believes that Baltistan has remained isolated due to its geography, surrounded by the Himalayas in the south and Karakorams in the east.

Skardu’s strategic location is at the crossroads of ancient trade routes that connected Ladakh, India, Tibet and China. “The ancient Silk Road traversed Skardu and larger Baltistan, brought Bon, Buddhism, Islam and an incredible cultural exchange reflecting its history as a cultural potpourri.”

“Monks from the Bön faith would use a small broom or dusting cloth to clean their path, avoiding harm to insects. They reflect the shared values of compassion, non-violence and environmental harmony found in Eastern spiritual traditions,” says Prof Hussainabadi. This was followed by Buddhists before Islam captured the imagination of the people.

To this day, Jamia Masjid Skardu, Khaplu Mosque and Shigar Mosque built by Shah-i-Hamdan, display the lotus motif representing the Quranic concept of spiritual growth and purification. The clockwise and counterclockwise Swastika are often integrated into geometric patterns, representing divine unity and order, forcing spiritual growth, enlightenment and self-purification. These symbols have been adopted from the pre-Islamic faiths in this region.

“Gilgit Baltistan is the gateway to China Pakistan Economic Corridor. That is why there have been conspiracies and efforts to agitate the religious fault line,” says Ashraf Sada. “The PML-N-led federal government and the Gilgit Baltistan government under Chief Minister Hafeez-ur Rehman, have worked hard to eliminate hate speech. Security forces have also played their part. This has allowed peace to prevail. The peace is crucial to sustain tourism. Nearly two million tourists from Pakistan and abroad visit Gilgit Baltistan every year. This has strengthened the region’s economy and spurred its development. In the last five years, new hotels and restaurants have come up, a testament to the improved conditions,” says Sada.

“Over centuries, inclement weather and the narrow time window to store food and essential commodities have taught the tribes and clans in Gilgit-Baltistan to form alliances, fostering unity, cooperation and interdependence,” says journalist Nisar Abbas. “This has produced humble, mild-mannered people.”

“Various sects in Skardu intermarry. This practice has played a pivotal role in promoting harmony and social cohesion in the region,” says Nisar Abbas. It is common to have Shia as well as Sunni grandparents, aunts and uncles in a family, he says.

According to a study conducted by the Aga Khan University’s Institute for Educational Development in 2018, approximately 30 percent of marriages in Skardu are inter-sect. This percentage is remarkably higher compared to other regions in Pakistan.

However, Gilgit-Baltistan’s serene landscape conceals a complex tapestry of challenges. Recurring bouts of sectarian violence have remained a major concern ever since the revolution in Iran, Gen Zia-ul Haq’s decision to impose the Sunni sharia and the effects of Afghan jihad. Contentious curriculum reforms and the increase in the number of seminaries promoting extremism have added fuel to the fire. Now the CPEC and opposition to it have added a new dimension to the conflict dynamics of GB.

The GB is experiencing a demographic change primarily as people from rest of Pakistan invest in residential and commercial projects. There is a fear of marginalisation among the locals. Ashraf Sada says most of the people of GB belong to the lower middle class. Even those who own land do not have the capital to build on it or send children for higher education abroad. Investors from rest of the Pakistan are filling the vacuum. Many of the local landowners are happy to sell them their land at prices that are five to ten times what they would fetch until recently. “However, this has also built up some resentment.” If the federal government allocates Rs 20 billion annually for the 10 districts of the region, it can help the locals undertake development on their own and solve this problem,” he says.

The writer is a staff reporter at The News