Pakistan has one of the world’s largest young populations with 64% of the citizens under 30. Gilgit-Baltistan is a region in the north of Pakistan that runs under a presidential order and is considered a disputed region. The region is home to peaceful people and scenic valleys. The region of Gilgit–Baltistan has ranked first on the Global Peace Index as the most peaceful in Pakistan. Moreover, the region’s literacy rate is approximately touching 72% as well as the highest in Pakistan.

Hundreds of thousands of students, professionals, and businessmen from Gilgit-Baltistan have been living in the south of the country in cities.

The region has been a heavenly experience for all national and international tourists who get inspired and overwhelmed by the level of respect, hospitability and security the locals provide to them. However, it has been experiencing poor educational, health and job opportunities and facilities forcing the locals to leave the region in search of better opportunities and facilities in health, education and jobs.

Hundreds of thousands of students, professionals, and businessmen from Gilgit-Baltistan have been living in the south of the country in cities, particularly in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore. A considerable number of students from Gilgit-Baltistan whose history of cooperation and support with administration and people in Rawalpindi and Islamabad are unparalleled and more satisfactory face unique challenges that make their academic journey exceptionally arduous. Any political unrest, protest, or visit of any head of state or international events in Islamabad means the harsh consequences are experienced by the students and workers from Gilgit-Baltistan in these cities.

Living at a far distance from their homes, survival has been a “do or die” matter for people from Gilgit-Baltistan in these cities. Students from Gilgit Baltistan in these cities mostly study on merit-based scholarships which again is the evidence of unwavering dedication, peace-loving, and high potential that the region’s youth have.

Despite the financial hardships and their early education under scarce resources, the potential of Gilgit Baltistan’s students echoes across all domains and lengths and breathe of Pakistan. The students from Gilgit Baltistan panicked with no support and shelter as the government official notification notified them to shut down hostels and abruptly forced them to leave their hostels on a very short notice. It reflects that they do not have any  concern about what it means for the students from far-flung areas living in twin cities, who have no accommodation facilities other than hostels and residential flats. These occurrences frequently lead to the abrupt closure of their hostels and the eviction of students from Gilgit Baltistan and other far-flung areas, showing that the government has turned blind and has no sense of how to treat these citizens who are more civic and play their role in nation-building.

Any political unrest, protest, or visit of any head of state or international events in Islamabad means the harsh consequences are experienced by the students and workers from Gilgit-Baltistan in these cities.

Their plight highlights the vulnerability of students from marginalized regions who are already battling numerous challenges to access quality education. Gilgit Baltistan’s students grapple with uncertainty and fear, for them their journey to twin cities is their first step into an unfamiliar world. Political instability and law and order issues in the country create a cycle of displacement for these students. The sudden loss of shelter leaves them wandering the streets, searching for temporary refuge among friends and acquaintances.

In such a quagmire and plight, lack of government support exacerbates and triggers feelings of alienation and suffering. The state responds and reacts to any political unrest for which the students of Gilgit Baltistan become scapegoats reflecting a glaring neglect of its responsibilities. No mechanism of housing or assistance to students during an emergency makes students fed up with a system in which they have faith to serve and build the strong and resplendent image of Pakistan.

Alienation runs deeper than the physical hardships of being homeless. During frequently occurring emergencies and unrest Gilgit Baltistan student’s sense of isolation magnifies. Many among the students from Gilgit Baltistan express thoughts that they are treated as outsiders in other cities of Pakistan. The lack of a stable living environment weighs heavily on their mental health. Students report helplessness, anxiety and depression during the crisis when they are forced to leave hostels and the intricacies get deeper with no alternative means to get shelter at a far distance from their homes.

The government and the administrations of the twin cities still have the chance to let the students of Gilgit Baltistan on board and listen to their grievances before the continuous cycle of displacements makes them disenchanted and lose faith in the system. Gilgit Baltistan’s youth associate their dreams and ambitions with Pakistan to become stable, proud and responsible citizens. However, their dreams and ambitions are being eroded and undermined due to the government’s policies contradicting with youth’s hopes and dreams. Ultimately, the youth suffer and feel completely isolated in a state of helplessness.