{{Short description|Political Agency in Pakistan (c. 1948–72)}} thumb|Baltistan in Kashmir '''Baltistan Agency''' was a political agency of Pakistan that existed from 1948 until 1972, when it was merged with Gilgit Agency to form Northern Areas.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Dani |first=Ahmad Hasan |author-link=Ahmad Hasan Dani |url= |title=History of Northern Areas of Pakistan |date=1991 |publisher=National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research, Quaid-i-Azam University |isbn=978-969-415-016-1 |edition=2nd |location=Islamabad |pages=6, 419, 420 |language=en |orig-date=1989}}</ref> It was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs (MKA).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nyrop |first=Richard F. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Area_Handbook_for_Pakistan/Y5jTh7DA598C?hl=en |title=Area Handbook for Pakistan |date=1975 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |language=en |pp= 216, 217}}</ref>
The control of Baltistan, formerly a part of Ladakh Wazarat of princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, was taken over by Pakistan in November 1948, and an Additional Political Agent was appointed at Skardu under the control of Political Agent at Gilgit. It was upgraded to full agency in January 1964, headed by a Political Agent, who was directly answerable to the Political Resident. The agency was divided into two subdivisions, Skardu and Khaplu.<ref name=":0" /> Due to the undemocratic nature of the system of governance it produced sense of grievance among the people and by 1971, a political party, Tanzeem-e-Millat Party, was formed in Gilgit which demanded full provincial status for the region.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ali |first=Shaheen Sardar |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Indigenous_Peoples_and_Ethnic_Minorities/60VAsoo-huYC?hl=en |title=Indigenous Peoples and Ethnic Minorities of Pakistan: Constitutional and Legal Perspectives |last2=Rehman |first2=Javaid |date=2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-77868-1 |pages=136, 137 |language=en |chapter=The Federally Administered Northern Areas}}</ref> Both Gilgit and Baltistan agencies were ultimately abolished and merged in August 1972 to create Northern Areas, with Baltistan Agency converted into Baltistan District, and later, Baltistan Division.<ref name=":0"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:1948 establishments in Pakistan Category:1972 disestablishments in Pakistan