It is well said that” in the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a
sense of identity”.The prestige of a nation is greatly linked with its identity. Like the names of humans
& other creatures, the name of a particular regions or area is either rooted in its history, coined
because of specific attributes or it is a wholly artificial construct.Likewise, the name of Gilgit Baltistan
can also be named in the same manner.In the question of which option should be adopted while
giving the name for Gilgit Baltistan various names come in mind including such as
Burushal, Dardistan, Balawaristan, Northern Areas, or retaining Gilgit Baltistan.In my
opinion, Balawaristan,is the most suitable name for this region.
The very meaning of the Bala- in Balawaristan is upper and istan means area. It collectively means
“upper regions”.This name is very appropriate as the area from Kohistan to Chitral and from Tibet to
Ladakh are upper parts seen from any direction. This area is home to three highest mountain ranges
of world ( Karakoram, Hindukush, Himalaya), hosts more than 7000 glaciers and various mountainous
species. It has more than fifty peaks above 7000 meters.
The second important factor behind choosing the name of Balawaristan is that the name is rooted in
history of the region.It is our roots that give us our identity. Balawaristan has remained a state till
8 century, albeit not occupying all the areas of todays Gilgit Baltistan. Furthermore, the word Balawar
, although with different meaning and pronunciation, still resonates in Gilgit Baltistan.
Finally, the name Balawaristan conveys a spirit of a nation.It is a single name, contrary to the name
Gilgit Baltistan which combines the names of two regions, which negatively effects the very feeling of
a single nation. Balawaristan is effective in uniting people of Gilgit Baltistan having different
languages, slightly different cultures, and diversified sects as one nation.
