Army Generals are out there with roaring business deals through land grabs in Gilgit Baltistan that smacks of spreading poverty.
Arun Anand
Pakistan Army is systematically acquiring land in Gilgit-Baltistan under guise of promoting Green Tourism. Green Tourism Limited, a new enterprise owned by Pakistan army, has secured long-term leases for 44 tourism sites in the region.
Registered just before Pakistan’s February 8 elections under Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the move expands army’s commercial interests that already encompass gas stations, housing colonies and industrial units nationwide.
Systematic land grab has sparked widespread discontent among locals that view tourism as a crucial means of their livelihood in the region under Pakistan’s controversial control. Groups like Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM), Awami Action Committee of Gilgit-Baltistan, and Das Khareem Supreme Council of Astore have vehemently opposed the move.
Pakistani government claims that this initiative will attract local and foreign investment in tourism. But stakeholders in tourism doubt the actual deliverables behind the project. They see it as first step to transfer control of these sites to military entities and vested interests.
‘The Friday Times’ report said that 30-year leases include seven Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) motels, 20 guest houses managed by Communications and Works Department (C&WD) and 17 sites under Forest Department. This move exemplifies Pakistan Army’s expanding influence across various sectors of economy, raising concerns about its motives behind acquiring land.
Implications for local communities and the region’s autonomy are manifold as the military’s involvement in tourism would lead to further militarization and economic marginalization of locals. The growing discontent and opposition from local representatives underscore risks associated with this initiative and its adverse impact on socio-economic fabric of Gilgit-Baltistan.
A significant portion of Hoto Plantation, spanning 450 kanals and considered Skardu’s largest along with 55 kanals of Forest Park, the only public recreational area in Skardu, have been leased under controversial circumstances. Baltoro Guest House in Skardu that was hitherto used by visiting officials has been forcibly taken from Gilgit-Baltistan government.
Bullying by Green Tourism Limited, a military-owned enterprise, in acquiring these properties is striking and an indication of how things would unfold in this region.
Officials have been emphasizing that Pakistan’s tourism potential is valued at (‘inflated’) $30 billion. A spokesperson for Gilgit – Baltistan Chief Minister justified these strong-arm tactics and claimed that the acquired properties were financially unsustainable. The government argues that leasing them will enable renovation and development, making them profitable ventures.
It’s proposed that 35 per cent of income generated will be set aside for Gilgit-Baltistan government and supplemented by 20 per cent annual rent from the properties. But, this claim is dubious and seems to be a cover-up for the military’s economic expansion. Additionally, it has been revealed that Green Tourism Limited has leased at least 17 motels of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for 30 years! Official documents show that this controversial outsourcing was carried out under Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a body seemingly designed to extend military’s economic influence.
Pakistan Army’s relentless appropriation of public assets illustrates its unchecked authority and widespread influence. This aggressive takeover of land and resources, purportedly for economic growth and tourism improvement, risks deepening poverty and worsening food insecurity among the already struggling population. By displacing local governance and eroding regional autonomy, military’s incursion exposes a hidden agenda focused on consolidating military control and economic supremacy.
Through systematic transferring control of valuable assets from civilians to Pak military, the latter is undermining economic foundations of local communities and perpetuating cycles of disenfranchisement and impoverishment. This dispossession and economic marginalization exacerbate socio-economic disparities, widening the gap between military elite and ordinary citizens.
The broader implications are deeply concerning; militarizing economic resources disrupts local economies, diminishes community leadership, and deprives residents of their livelihoods. This appropriation of public and private assets not only hampers potential economic growth and development but also consolidates military’s grip on the nation’s wealth and resources.
If this trajectory continues unabated, it forewarns profound socio-economic consequences. The weakening of local governance and consolidation of economic authority among military leaders are likely to provoke heightened social unrest, increased poverty, and exacerbated economic inequality.
Pakistan Army’s relentless pursuit of land and resources undermines principles of fair development and democratic governance, posing a serious threat to Pakistani society. These aggressive land seizures and economic takeovers by military pose a significant risk to Pakistan’s socio-economic stability. The unchecked militarization of economic assets not only undermines local autonomy and governance but perpetuates cycles of poverty and exclusion.
(Author is a senior journalist & columnist. He has authored more than a dozen books)