Forum Pakistan

(also Tibet-i-Khurd, or Small Tibet).
I. A historico-geographical area between the Rivers North Shigar and Nubra in the upper reaches of the *Indus in the Greater *Himalayas area. The greater part of the population speaks Balti, a western dialect of Tibetan, and is Muslim.

2. From 1948-71 one of the two political agencies in the Pakistan-controlled Northern Areas of the former state of Jammu and *Kashmir. The administrative structure of the agency changed many times. In 1971 it was divided into the districts of Skardu, Shingar, Randu, Khaplu, and Kharmong.

3. Since 1972, an administrative district of the *Northern Areas. Administrative centre: Skardu.
Bibliography: V.A. Pulyarkin, 'Kashmir', Moscow, 1956 (in Russian); OH.K. Spate, 'India and Pakistan', London. /954; AH. Dani (ed.), 'History of Northern Areas Pakistan', Islamabad, 1989.