Trans Himalaya-Karakoram-Tibet - Disputed Regions

The former Jammu & Kashmir Independent Princely State comprised of 4 Ethnic-Geological Regions - most of these regions being in its territory. The princely state acceded its territories to India in 1947, after which about about 1/3 of the Area was occupied by Pakistan and is controlled by it since, while China is also in control-occupying some areas since 1962.

This page outlines these Geological, Ethnic, Religious and Historical - Regions along with the outline of which country is in control of these Regions at present :

Kashmir
Ladakh
Baltistan
Gilgit

Ethnic-Geological Compositions

Kashmir is the intersection of the Himalaya Mountain Range and the Karakoram Himalaya system - a a Vale in center flanked by hills-mountain and smaller valleys.  The Vale of Kashmir is inhabited by Kashmiri Muslim peoples and the flanking areas are of Mixed Hindu and Muslim peoples.

Ladakh is geologically Trans Himalaya-Tibet  and inhabited by Tibetan Buddhist - Ladakhi Peoples

Baltistan is mostly Trans Karakoram(Himalaya)-Tibet mountains system inhabited by Tibetan Muslim - Balti Peoples. The Balti were Ladakhi-Tibetan-Buddhist contiguous with Ladakh until the Muslim era. The Balti people/language on the Indian side since 1947 are/is called Purig. Effectively any Tibetan Muslim is considered a Balti.

Gilgit is the Karakoram system of the Himalaya Mountains, inhabited mainly by Muslim Dard people, speaking Shina languages. These peoples were Hindu and Buddhist until the Muslim era.
 

Regions and Disputed Areas

Kashmir (Red and Pink)

The Red Outline shows the areas of the Kashmir Region in India
Pink - areas of the Kashmir Region occupied/controlled by Pakistan (PoK)

Ladakh (Orange, Yellow, Dark Red and White)

Orange - areas of the Ladakh Region in India, that were part of the J & K state
Light Orange - areas of the Ladakh Region which were not part of the J & K state and are part of India (Himachal Pradesh)
Dark Red - areas of the Ladakh Region, which were part of the J & K state and are occupied/controlled by China
White - areas of the Ladakh Region which were not part of the J & K state and are territory of Tibet-China.

Baltistan (Blue)
Dark Blue - areas of the Baltistan Region occupied/controlled by Pakistan
Light Blue - areas of the Baltistan Region in India.

Gilgit (Green)

Light Green - areas of the Gilgit Region occupied/controlled by Pakistan
Dark Green - areas ethno-linguistically contiguous with the Gilgit Region which were Not part of the J & K State and are territory of Pakistan.
Light Yellow-Green - areas of the Gilgit Region in India.

Suggestions for Normalization of the Trans Himalaya-Tibet-Karakoram Regions to the Government of India

Refer to the above Map for areas discussed and the Yellow Line on Map of below suggestions


Pakistan

Without questioning the National Integrity of the territory of the former Jammu and Kashmir state being a part of India, though with the consideration that there is no obvious means to retrieve these occupied territories as well as to end the cross border infiltration and militarization of the Region as a result of the geologically porous boundaries of the LoC - I would like to suggest a compromise be made :

with Pakistan giving up its claim and occupation of :

Kashmir, including areas of Kashmir occupied by Pakistan (PoK)

Baltistan, ie areas of Baltistan occupied by Pakistan

and some areas of Gilgit

in exchange with (it is suggested) India ceding :

most of Gilgit, ie the territories of Gilgit Region occupied by Pakistan.

"Most of the Gilgit Region" refers to all areas with the exclusion of the whole Astore district, and some adjoining parts parts of Gilgit and Diamer districts(for buffer and connectivity to Baltistan), as outlined in Grey and Yellow on the Map. Besides the Gurais Valley which is already in India. 

The rational of this suggestion is : 

Most of the Trans Himalaya-Tibet Mountain System of Tibetan people are already in India (Ladakh) -- while Gilgit-Karakoram is geographically, ethnically, linguistically and religiously contiguous with (areas of land which are at present official territory of) Pakistan.
Though a compromise of the original desired territory - the suggested boundary (YELLOW LINE on above map) would seal the border 100% and end infiltration and war altogether - as this suggested boundary comprises entirely of glacier in the North, impassable Mountain Ranges in the center and the Jhelum river in the South. Geographically a defendable gateway is also provided with Gilgit. What to speak of an end to cross border infiltration, even war would be impossible and thus I think such a compromise would be preferable than the current geologically porous LoC boundary with resulting infiltration, militarization of the Region, death of soldier on weekly-monthly basis and Wars. 

China

Some analysts have suggested India exchange claims of Aksai Chin for Arunachal Pradesh, similarly I would like to suggest that India :

Cede to China :

- Aksai Chin (Dark Maroon outline on Map)

- Shaksgam Valley (Light Purple outline on Map)

in exchange from for Chinese claims of :

-  Arunachal Pradesh

-  The portion of the Spiti river hydrobasin (White outline on Map) which is a undisputed territory of Tibet China. The Spiti river and its tributaries are otherwise fully in India and this Area is the lone portion of "Ladakh Proper" which is undisputed territory of China.

Apart from those actual exchanges, China abandoning territorial occupations and claims made since the 1962 war :

-  The 2 territories in Ladakh (2 small Dark Red outlines on Map) occupied by China since 1962. - areas near Bangong Lake and areas of Demchok.

- the 2 spurious and baseless claims in Uttarakhand (not shown on Map), which were incursions made in the 1962 war and claimed as disputed since - Nelang valley and areas south of Niti Pass to south east of Barahoti. Both are semi-inhabited and grazed by (non Tibetan) Indian Peoples and are Hydrological Himalayan system - Valley boundaries maintained by the British. Barahoti location itself is the hydrological border gateway between Himalaya and Tibet - all claim of areas south of it are spurious.