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The house of the Raja was used as a
‘Morcha’ by the Dogras for about seven months and was only vacated
when the enemy surrendered. After the Azad Forces had retreated to
Qomrah, Raja Mohammad Ali Shah along with a deputation of leading
Aghas, Sheikhs and notables met the Commanders of Azad Forces and
pledged their loyalty and support. The Azad Forces having received
this assurance returned to Skardu. Raja Mohammad Ali Shah rendered
all possible help till the Dogra garrison surrendered on 14th August 1948.
Raja Mohammad Ali Shah died in 1960 at
the ripe age of 60. He was succeeded by his son Raja Jaffar Ali
Khan, who, unfortunately died in 1966, at the young age of about 40
years. Jaffar Ali Khan has only one son Zulfiqar Ali Khan, aged 23
years.
Professor Rush Brook William visited
Baltistan sometime after the people had liberated themselves from
the Dogra Regime. He stayed for five days and made a through study
of the development that had taken place. He writes:-
“ I found that the
whole situation had changes since Darbar times. The Baltis, free
from Dogra oppression, had ‘found themselves’ as a people.
Agriculture was flourishing; schools were multiplying, an admirable
hospital, linked schools were multiplying, and admirable hospital,
linked to a chain of dispensaries in the surrounding valleys, was
doing first rate work under a devoted hand of Pakistani Doctors. The
Baltis were singing again as they went about their work! And
everyone I spoke to had nothing but praise for the ‘new deal’.
Skardu town even has electric light, provided by ‘spare’ current
from the Hospital generators. Every shop of equipment, and supplies
of every kind, had to be transported by air from Rawalpindi along
one of the most dangerous routes in the world; the toll of aircraft
was high but Baltistan’s isolation had vanished with the oppression
which had characterized it, her people could come and go freely,
finding new opportunities and fresh careers in the Police, in the
Northern Scouts, and in the developing Industries of Pakistan. The
work done by the Pakistani Officers of the various services who
volunteer for duty in Baltistan is beyond praise; out as the country
flourishes; the Baltis themselves feel that the great days of their
ancient heroes like Ali Shah Khan and his beloved Queen, Mindok
Gialmo, Mother of the land, have come again. The progress has been
steady and continuous. A new road now links Baltistan to the outside
world, and helps to supplement, in the summer at least, air
communications. Basic Democracies on the Pakistan model have been
introduced and are flourishing. Water channels and irrigation dams
are spreading prosperity;
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