Kargil - Definition and Overview

Kargil was a part of Gilgit-Baltistan before 1947, but now is a town in the Indian-controlled Kashmir. Kargil lies on the line of control facing Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. Kargil is the only Muslim majority district in the Ladakh subdivision. Kargil is nestled in the Himalaya, giving it a cool, temperate climate. Summers are cool with frigid nights while winters are long and cold with temperatures often dropping to -40°C. A national highway connecting Srinagar to Leh, cuts through Kargil. There is an unpaved road leading from Kargil south to Zanskar, which is only open from June to September each year.

In late May 1999, Islamic guerrillas covertly and overtly backed by Pakistan squatted on vantage heights in the Indian controlled region. This led to mobilisation of Indian troops. The conflict was ultimately resolved as Prime Minister Nawaz Shareef buckled under pressure from the US president Bill Clinton and ordered a retreat of all Pakistani forces from Kargil.

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See also: Kargil War

External links

• Pakistan's Northern Areas dilemma (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1491179.stm) (BBC)
• Northern Areas Development Gateway (http://www.northernareas.org.pk)
• Pakistan's Northern Areas (http://paknews.com/articles.php?id=1&date1=2003-04-17)
• Northern Pakistan's Karakoram & Hindukush Mountains (http://www.monitor.net/~jmko/karakoram/about-kh.htm)
• The Mountain Areas Conservancy Project (http://www.macp-pk.org/home.asp)
• Gilgit Map (http://www.geocities.com/johnmap2001/kkh/maps/gilgit.html)