A Case Study of Gilgit-Baltistan
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The Role of Geography in Human Security: A Case Study of Gilgit-Baltistan PhD Thesis Submitted by Ehsan Mehmood Khan, PhD Scholar Regn. No. NDU-PCS/PhD-13/F-017 Supervisor Dr Muhammad Khan Department of Peace and Conflict Studies (PCS) Faculties of Contemporary Studies (FCS) National Defence University (NDU) Islamabad 2017 ii The Role of Geography in Human Security: A Case Study of Gilgit-Baltistan PhD Thesis Submitted by Ehsan Mehmood Khan, PhD Scholar Regn. No. NDU-PCS/PhD-13/F-017 Supervisor Dr Muhammad Khan This Dissertation is submitted to National Defence University, Islamabad in fulfilment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Peace and Conflict Studies Department of Peace and Conflict Studies (PCS) Faculties of Contemporary Studies (FCS) National Defence University (NDU) Islamabad 2017 iii Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for Doctor of Philosophy in Peace and Conflict Studies (PCS) Peace and Conflict Studies (PCS) Department NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY Islamabad- Pakistan 2017 iv CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION It is certified that the dissertation titled “The Role of Geography in Human Security: A Case Study of Gilgit-Baltistan” written by Ehsan Mehmood Khan is based on original research and may be accepted towards the fulfilment of PhD Degree in Peace and Conflict Studies (PCS). ____________________ (Supervisor) ____________________ (External Examiner) Countersigned By ______________________ ____________________ (Controller of Examinations) (Head of the Department) v AUTHOR’S DECLARATION I hereby declare that this thesis titled “The Role of Geography in Human Security: A Case Study of Gilgit-Baltistan” is based on my own research work. Sources of information have been acknowledged and a reference list has been appended. The material contained herein has not been previously submitted either whole or in part for a degree at any university. ______________________________ Ehsan Mehmood Khan, PhD Scholar vi SUPERVISOR’S DECLARATION This thesis titled “The Role of Geography in Human Security: A Case Study of Gilgit-Baltistan”, submitted by Ehsan Mehmood Khan, is supervised by me. The thesis comes up to the requirements for the award of PhD degree in Peace and Conflict Studies (PCS). ____________ Supervisor vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Serial Subject Page 1. Certificate of approval iii 2. Plagiarism undertaking iv 3. Certificate of completion v 4. Supervisor’s declaration vi 5. Table of contents and illustrations vii 6. Abstract x 7. Dedication xi 8. Acknowledgement xii CHAPTER-1: INTRODUCTION 9. Introduction 1 10. Statement of the problem 4 11. Significance and scope of the study 5 12. Readership and target audiences 6 13. Relevance of the study 6 14. Objectives of the study 6 15. Literature review 7 16. Major findings from literature review 22 17. Hypotheses and variables 23 18. Research design 24 19. Research methodology 28 20. Organization of the study 33 CHAPTER-2: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: GEO-HUMANISM 21. Theories and Theorization 35 22. The Need for a New Theoretical Construct 36 23. Geography and Human Security 36 24. Basic Assumption 40 25. Human Security 40 26. Geography 42 27. Dynamism of Geography 43 28. Effect of Geography on Internal Conflict 44 29. Impact of the Type of Geography 44 30. Geography as a Basis for Superiority or Inferiority 45 31. Cultural Evolution 46 32. The Less Governed Spaces 47 33. The Cost of Human Security in Mountainous Regions 48 34. Effects of Geography on Religion 48 viii 35. People Live by the Way of Geography 49 36. Geography – an Impediment as well as Expedient 49 37. The Matrix of Geo-Humanism 50 38. Working Definition 66 CHAPTER-3: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF GILGIT-BALTISTAN 39. General 68 40. Location 69 41. Place 74 42. Human-Environment Interaction 76 43. Movement 76 44. Region 78 CHAPTER-4: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY AND CONTEXTUAL MAKEUP OF GILGIT-BALTISTAN 45. General 80 46. Historical Perspective 81 47. Administrative Structure 95 48. Sectarian Profile 95 49. Linguistic Makeup 97 50. Ethnic Profile 99 51. The Cultural Geography of Gilgit-Baltistan 103 52. The interaction between geography, history and culture 106 (including sports) CHAPTER-5: GEO-HUMANISM - THE ROLE OF GEOGRAPHY IN HUMAN SECURITY IN GILGIT-BALTISTAN 53. Political Security 111 54. Economic Security 129 55. Food Security 143 56. Health Security 156 57. Personal Security 165 58. Community Security 170 59. Environmental Security 175 ix 60. Women Security 179 61. The Interplay of State Security and Human Security 182 62. Energy Security 190 CHAPTER-6: PUBLIC OPINION DATA ANALYSIS (BASED ON RESEARCH SURVEY RESULTS) 63. Survey-1 193 64. Survey Clusters and Number of Forms 194 65. Gender Frequency of Sample 194 66. Age Groups of Sample 195 67. Educational Qualification of Sample 196 68. Professions of Sample 197 69. Responses to Survey Questionnaire-1 198 70. Survey-2 (Supplementary Survey) 221 CHAPTER-7: FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS 71. Findings and Conclusions 225 CHAPTER-8: RECOMMENDATIONS 72. Recommendations 236 73. POSTSCRIPT 74. Validation of hypothesis 244 75. Epilogue 245 ANNEXES 76. Annex A: List of mountain peaks above 7,000 m and 8,000 m 246 77. Annex B: List of large glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan 252 78. Annex C: List of passes in Gilgit-Baltistan 262 79. Annex D: List of large rivers in Gilgit-Baltistan 269 80. Annex E: Terrorism Cases in Gilgit Baltistan, 2004 to 2015 275 81. BIBLIOGRAPHY 282 x ABSTRACT “The Role of Geography in Human Security: A Case Study of Gilgit-Baltistan” The research on “The Role of Geography in Human Security: A Case Study of Gilgit-Baltistan” primarily focuses on the function of geography both as an impediment and expedient for human security in the region. It explores into the risks posed by geography as well as the dividends that may be accrued for improvement of human security profile and in turn the peace and conflict state in the region. Mixed method, i.e. a combination of quantitative and qualitative research techniques, has been used. The theoretical framework of geo-humanism has been evolved to determine the role of geography in human security. The matrix of geo-humanism includes geography-technology-governance (GTG) process to improve the human security profile of a region. The physical geography of Gilgit-Baltistan has been analyzed in the light of the five themes of geography adopted by the Association of American Geographers in 1984 to include location, place, movement, human-environment interaction and region. The interaction of geography has been studied in the light of seven subsets of human security as enunciated in the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report of 1997. Details of human geography and contextual makeup of GB include historical perspective, administrative structure, sectarian profile, linguistic makeup, ethnic profile, the cultural geography, and the interaction between geography, history and culture. The theoretical framework of geo-humanism has been applied to GB as a case study. Public opinion based on the survey, using a mixed method to include cluster and random survey techniques, has been carried out in GB region, which verify a number of key assumptions and validates key assumptions. Findings of the study validate the hypothesis. The findings of the dissertation confirm a strong role of geography in human security makeup of the GB region, and governance and technology as the remedies. Political security is greatly influenced by geography in a number of ways. Economic security of GB is primarily dependent on the geographic dividends or difficulties. Food security, which has its roots in agriculture, is purely dependent on geo-climatic conditions of the region. Geo-climatic conditions have both positive and negative effects on health security profile of the region. xi DEDICATED TO The passionate, peace-loving and strong-willed people of Gilgit-Baltistan, who have been braving the rigours of geography for centuries to attain and maintain a desired level of human security. xii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT In first place, I would like to extend my profound gratitude to my thesis supervisor Dr Muhammad Khan for his perpetual guidance without which I would not have been able to complete this thesis. His supervision and scholarly direction is also expected to guide me in my future academic pursuits. For completion of this work, I also owe plenty of gratitude to the scholars, academics and experts whose publications on the issue have been valuable in the course of research. I am particularly thankful to the few whose work was valuable in data collection, analysis of various aspects and bringing in pertinent conclusions. It would be remiss of me if I did not mention the wholehearted support from the scholars and journalist community of Gilgit-Baltistan who offered candid comments during countless discussions that we had on this research work. I must mention the support and guidance of Yousaf Hussainabadi, a renowned historian from Baltistan, Qasim Naseem, a celebrated author and editor of Weekly Siachen News, Muhammad Hassan Hasrat, a prolific author and ex Regional Director of Allama Iqbal Open University, Skardu Campus Professor (emeritus) Usman Ali, an accomplished historian from Gilgit, Professor (emeritus) Manzoom Ali, a celebrated scholar of geography from Gilgit, Assistant Professor Haji Karim Khan from the Karakoram International University (KIU), Skardu Campus, and my friends from the field of media and journalism. I must also extend my gratitude to Haji Fida Muhammad Nashad, Speaker Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA), with whom I had a number of sessions for academic discussion on the subject, and who made it possible to get the opinion survey forms filled from all members of GBLA. I specially thank Wazir Muhammad Jaffar, Lecturer in Government Degree College Skardu, Muhammad Ismail, Principal Inter College Shigar, and Muhammad Hussain Jaffri from Askole in Braldu valley, who provided a lot of empirical data. I also thank the government officials from various departments at Gilgit, Skardu and other districts, who shared official information and data for analysis.