Fayyaz karim Hunzai

Student of MBA,
From Hamdard University
city campus
Karachi
 History of Baltit Fort and Altit Fort
In olden times a number of small independent states existed in the history of Northern
Areas of Pakistan. Among them Hunza and Nager were the traditional rival states,
situated on opposite sides of the Hunza (kanjut) river. The rulers of these two states,
known as Thámo / Mirs (Thάm=S), built various strongholds to express their power.
According to historical sources {Ref: Tarikh-e-Ehd Atiiq Riyasat Hunza by Haji
Qudratullah Baig, Pub: S.T.Printers Rawalpindi 1980 Pakistan}, the Hunza rulers
initially resided in the Altit Fort, but later as a result of a conflict between the two sons
of the ruler Sultan, Shah Abbas (Shάboos) and Ali Khan (Aliqhάn), Shaboos shifted to
the Baltit Fort, making it the capital seat of Hunza. The power struggle between the two
brothers eventually resulted in the death of younger one, and so Baltit Fort further
established itself as the prime seat of power in the Hunza state.
The rich beauty of Baltit Fort can be traced to over seven hundred 700 years ago.
Ayasho II, Tham / Mir of Hunza in the early 15th fifteenth century married Princess
Shah Khatoon (Sha Qhatun) from Baltistan (In Moghul history Baltistan is called Tibet
Khurd mean, little Tibet), and was the first to modify the face of Altit and, subsequently
Baltit Fort. Baltistan meaning land of Balti people had a very strong cultural and
ethnical relation with the Ladakh territory of India then. Consequently, the structure of
Baltit Fort was influenced by the Ladakhi / Tibetan architecture, with some
resemblance to the Potala palace in Lahasa