- Sartaj says committee to send final proposals to PM House for cabinet approval
The high-powered reforms committee for reviewing proposed constitutional package for Gilgit-Baltistan on Thursday finalised the proposals, according to a statement issued here after the meeting.
The meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for Finance Senator Ishaq Dar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was attended by Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Minister for Law Zahid Hamid, Minister for Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir Affairs Barjees Tahir, Chief Minister Hafeezru Rehman, senior officials and representatives from the Ministry of Defence.
The committee was formed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for finalising recommendations of a previous committee for empowering Gilgit-Baltistan. “Though majority of the members were the same but the finance minister, law minister and Kashmir Affairs minister were added to review financial and legal implications of the package,” Sartaj said.
He said that the committee has almost finalised the package and the same would be sending back to the Prime Minister’s House after which it would be tabled at the cabinet for approval. After receiving the recommendation of Sartaj-led committee, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had constituted another high-powered committee to finalise the proposals for the reforms.
A spokesperson to the chief minister informed Pakistan Today that the new committee was formed after a detailed meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz and Chief Minister Hafeez in Islamabad early this month. It may recall here that the reforms committee was constituted last year by Prime Minister Nawaz to introduce constitutional reforms for the region.
After number of meetings, the committee had reportedly proposed further empowerment of the semi-autonomous region in its recommendations. The committee had reportedly proposed the central government to grant representation to Gilgit-Baltistan in the Senate and the National Assembly.
According to sources, these three NA members will be elected from Gilgit, Diamar and Baltistan region through the set procedure of election across the country, while three members for the Senate will be elected by the Legislative Assembly of the region.
Apart from the membership in the parliament, the committee has also proposed to the government to give the region its due share and representation in the next NFC Award to bring it on par with other provinces. The government was trying to propose better reforms in Gilgit-Baltistan as compared to the Pakistan People’s Party-led previous government which had introduced a provincial set-up through the Gilgit-Baltistan Self-Governance Ordinance in 2009.
There was also an impression that the reforms were being introduced due to Chinese government’s demand to secure and facilitate the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which would pass through the region.
This is the duty of Federal Govt and local govt to diffuse the sectarian tensions and remove all the sectarian outfits to secure the people of GB .Incidents of killing of visitors to GB on basis of sect has been in past and people stil fear it. if peace prevails , the all people of GB will enjoy life at most in coming days.
What so ever, Chitral must be integrated into Gilgit-Baltistan without Chitral, Gilgit-Baltistan’s package is and will be incomplete. We don’t care what the problem is and will be. Just do it. Integrate Chitral with its own Nation GIlgit-Baltistan.
The government must do it. and the government should and must have to integration Chitral into Gilgit-Baltistan. We are looking into the government decision and the responsible personnels.
Comments are closed.