ISLAMABAD, 1 November, 2026 (Kamran Raja): President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have congratulated the people of Gilgit-Baltistan on their 79th Independence Day, paying tribute to the leaders and people who struggled against Dogra rule and made sacrifices to secure the region’s freedom. In separate messages issued on Sunday, both leaders recalled the historic events of 1947, when the people of Gilgit-Baltistan ended Dogra rule, declared independence and subsequently wrote to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, expressing their desire to accede to Pakistan. President Zardari acknowledged the significant contributions of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan to Pakistan’s defence and development. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the courage, determination and sacrifices of the region’s leaders and people in achieving freedom. He also reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to extending full support to the Gilgit-Baltistan government in addressing economic challenges and implementing institutional and administrative reforms.