Gilgit
The administrative center of the Gilgit has strategic importance at the center of the transportation and communication in the Gilgit Baltistan was formally known as Northern Areas of Pakistan. It is the junction to travel to parts of the Gilgit Baltistan. The town has a long and interesting history because of the strategic location. All the conquerors and invaders who entered to the subcontinent passed through Gilgit because of its easier approaches along the mountain passes. Now a days the city is rapidly developing and it has been an attraction of the people from surrounding areas and mostly moved there which dramatically increased the population and has been a business center of all the people of Gilgit Baltistan. The rapid social and economic change, as the ancient Silk Route changed in the form of Karakuram Highway has brought greater integration between Gilgit Baltistan and the rest of Pakistan and provided revolutionary development in trade and employment in the region.
Most tourist visit to Gilgit before and after trekking for shopping and for connecting transportation.
Ancient History
Stone- age, people have been settled in the region in the early ages. Buddhism flourished in the region in the 7th and 8th century the curved Buddha in the west of Gilgit is the evidence of it. There is a strong evidence to suggest to links between Gilgit and the great Khushan Empire entered to Taxila in the first and second centuries and later the Huns were active perhaps by the 5th Century.
In 7th and 8th centuries Gilgit was ruled by Buddhist Palolas, whose kings maintained good diplomatic relations with Chinese Tang Empire. Chinese accounts refer to the area as pa-lo, lai, or Bolor in Muslim sources and Gilgit was called Little Bolor. The Chinese were followed by Tangs, and Chinese influence diminished following their defeat in the Central Asia in 751 AD by the Arabs.
The last Buddhist ruler of Gilgit was Sri Badat (he is remembered in some local legends), primarily of his cruelty and it is said that he ate fleshes of young children, that he ate nothing else. Shri Badat belonged to Trakhans, the dominant dynasty in the mediaeval history of Gilgit. The Trakhans ruled Gilgit through eight century to 1840. The Trakhans ‘period was both chaos and stability hardly surprising given the length of their rule and the history of this time catalogue of wars, truces, alliances and further wars with neighboring kingdoms.
Towards the end of Trakhans’ British and Sikhs rule influences in the region. In 1842 a Sikh Army from Kashmir arrived to Gilgit to driving back the local rulers and sold half of the population into slavery.
In the mean time following the decisive victory in the first Anglo Sikh War of 1846, the British had sold Kashmir to the Dogra Raja of Jammu Gulab Singh after he footed the bill for Sikhs’ war reparations. After the death of one of the strongest King of Yasin, Gohar Aman who dramatically pushed back the Dogra Raj from Gilgit returned to Gilgit under the direction of Gulab Singh. It was around this time British forced towards Gilgit in 1877 to 1881. The British were anxious about Russian invasion to Gilgit from the mountain passes appointed their political agent in Gilgit. From 1935 to 1947 Gilgit was under the control of British rule. Gilgit Baltistan came on the map of Pakistan on 1st November 1947 after two months of the independence Pakistan. The forces Gilgit scouts and the other forces arrested Brigadier Ghansara Singh was arrested at his home and placed under custody and Pakistani flag was raised over Gilgit. Meanwhile, in Gilgit a provincial Government had been set up. Assistance was requested from Pakistan. Gilgit Baltistan became province Northern Areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009, was passed by the Pakistani cabinet and later signed by the President. It granted self-rule to the people of the former Northern Areas, now renamed “Gilgit-Baltistan,” by creating, among other things, an elected legislative assembly.
The key event in the recent history of Gilgit-Baltistan has been the development of transport infrastructure in the region especially the construction of Karakorum Highway.