GILGIT/MANSEHRA: In a move towards resolving decades-old territorial issues, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Amjad Hussain and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi have agreed to initiate negotiations to settle boundary disputes between the two regions, including those involving Shandur Top, Babusar Top and areas surrounding the DiamerBhasha and Dassu dams.
The agreement came during a meeting between the two leaders in Islamabad on Sunday, where they discussed matters of mutual interest, including territorial disputes, improved air connectivity to GilgitBaltistan and the training of relevant officials.
According to a statement issued by the GBChief Minister’s Secretariat,bothleadersagreed that the boundary disputes would be taken up by the chief secretaries of the two regions, before being referred to their respective political leadership for deliberations.
The initiative aims to resolve disputes involving villages along the KP-GB boundary through mutual understanding and amicable negotiations.
An official attending the meeting told Dawn that the two sides had agreed to pursue a peaceful settlement of the longstanding disputes, which have repeatedly triggered tensions and violent clashes between commu-nities living along the disputed territories.
Disputes between KP and GB persist over several strategically important areas, including Shandur Top, Babusar Top and parts of Kohistan.
Shandur Top, home to the world’s highest polo ground at around 12,500 feet, is claimed by both provinces, with the matter under consideration by a provincial boundary commission.
Babusar Top, linking Mansehra with Diamer through Kaghan Valley, is another contested area whose ownership and jurisdiction remain unresolved by the federal government. The dispute has also surfaced in land acquisition and compensation claims, prompting the Peshawar High Court to direct the NHA and KP government to clear outstanding payments to landowners whose properties were acquired in 2001 for road expansion.
Another major dispute concerns the Harban tribe of Kohistan and the Thor tribe of Diamer over an eight-kilometre stretch near the Diamer-Bhasha Dam. A 2014 clash over the land claimed the lives of five people and left 15 injured.
A 24-member jirga defused the decadesold dispute in 2022, paving the way for official demarcation and compensation payments to affected Kohistan settlers.
However, other territorial and ownership questions, including those concerning areas near the Dassu Dam and Babusar Top, have continued to complicate relations between communities on both sides of the provincial boundary.
Air connectivity Apart from territorial matters, the Islamabad meeting also focused on improving air connectivity between Gilgit and Islamabad, where passengers have long faced difficulties because of limited flight operations and frequent cancellations.
At present, PIA operates a 44-seat ATR aircraft on the Islamabad-Gilgit route. The limited seating capacity, coupled with weather-related cancellations, has made air travel particularly difficult for patients, tourists and government officials who depend on the service.
The operational limitations of Gilgit airport, which cannot accommodate larger aircraft,further restrict traveloptions.
During the meeting, representatives of the private airline South Air also held discussions with the GB chief minister regarding the introduction of additional air services.
According to an official source, it was agreed that aircraft would be acquired on lease against a guarantee provided by the GB government, while South Air would operate flights under a joint-venture arrangement.
The proposed service is expected to introduce weather-compliant aircraft on the Islamabad-Gilgit route, potentially improving the reliability of air travel for residents and visitors.