Balawaristan
Historic region of Pakistan
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BNF activists affirm that Balawaristan is not a part of Kashmir and has a unique identity. They also consider the people of Gilgit Baltistan to be the fourth party in the Kashmir dispute, the other three being Pakistan, India and Kashmir.
Etymology
Historically, the Baltistan region was called Great Bolor and Dardistan and parts of Brushal (e.g. Gilgit Valley) were called Little Bolor; collectively the two were called Bolor or Boloristan. Great Bolor is known to have sent ambassadors to the Chinese court in the 8th century. The Mons, an Indo-Aryan group, made the region as a hub of Buddhism. Chinese historian Faxian mentioned it as Pololo or Palolo, Tibetans called it Nang-khod, where Arab historians mentioned it as Baloristan.
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Political status movements
In more recent times, the name Balawaristan is found used by Gilgiti political party like Balawaristan National Front led by Nawaz Khan Naji. The party is seeking to declare Gilgit-Baltistan as the fifth province of Pakistan. The party has been represented in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly by a single member, the aforementioned Nawaz Khan Naji, between 2011 and 2025.
The Balawaristan National Students Organisation, in April 2008, raised a demand for Balawaristan to be constituted into the fifth province of Pakistan.