Separatist JKLF chief Yasin Malik on Tuesday wrote a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, opposing moves to merge Gilgit-Baltistan with Pakistan as he has “no moral authority” to make a policy that “will adversely affect the future of millions of Kashmiris”.
He said such a step will give India a political and moral right to do the same with Jammu and Kashmir. He said he was writing the letter as media reports spoke of a meeting to be chaired by Sharif on January 14 to deliberate on the future of Gilgit-Baltistan.
“Apprehensions have been raised in various quarters that your government may reach a consensus to merge Gilgit-Baltistan with Pakistan,” Malik wrote. Noting that the change in constitutional status of Gilgit-Baltistan was being debated in view of the China-Pakistan economic corridor, the separatist leader said, “Economic development is good but you have no moral right to make policy that will adversely affect the future of millions of Kashmiris.”