KHAPLU: The first batch of a force formed to protect forests and wildlife in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region graduated from a police training college this week, officials confirmed. Gilgit-Baltistan, once known as Northern Areas, used to be a part of Jammu and Kashmir, but has been under Pakistani control since shortly after Pakistan’s independence in 1947. Pakistan and India claim all of the disputed Kashmir territory since their independence in 1947 and have fought two of their three wars over the region.