# Baltistan Agency
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{{Short description|Political Agency in Pakistan (c. 1948–72)}}
thumb|Baltistan in Kashmir
'''Baltistan Agency''' was a [political agency](/source/Agencies_of_Pakistan) of Pakistan that existed from 1948 until 1972, when it was merged with [Gilgit Agency](/source/Gilgit_Agency) to form [Northern Areas](/source/Northern_Areas).[{{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}}] It was under the jurisdiction of the [Ministry of Kashmir Affairs](/source/Ministry_of_Kashmir_Affairs_and_Gilgit-Baltistan) (MKA).[{{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}}]
The control of [Baltistan](/source/Baltistan), formerly a part of [Ladakh Wazarat](/source/Ladakh_Wazarat) of princely state of [Jammu and Kashmir](/source/Jammu_and_Kashmir_(princely_state)), was taken over by Pakistan in November 1948, and an [Additional Political Agent](/source/Political_officer_(British_Empire)) was appointed at [Skardu](/source/Skardu) under the control of Political Agent at [Gilgit](/source/Gilgit). It was upgraded to full agency in January 1964, headed by a Political Agent, who was directly answerable to the [Political Resident](/source/Political_Resident). The agency was divided into two subdivisions, Skardu and [Khaplu](/source/Khaplu).[{{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}}] 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](/source/Baltistan_Division).