he Northern Areas, synonymous for the Gilgit Wazarat and colonial Gilgit Agency and Baltistan and federally administered by the central government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, cover an area of 70 332/72 971/72 496 km². Curiously, this part of Pakistan has been designated also during the Buddhist time as “northern region”, Uttar?patha, as witnessed by an inscription from Shing Nala …