ISLAMABAD: After the dramatic change of government in Balochistan, PPP on Sunday announced that had decided to submit a motion of no-confidence in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) against Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman, who enjoys the support of the majority because of his party Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N).
PPP announced that it had the support of 20 out of 32 members of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA).
While addressing a press conference at National Press Club in Islamabad, PPP lawmaker Javed Hussain said, “Since the present chief minister had badly failed to deliver during the past two years, not only the members of the opposition parties but also members of PML-N want the face of the government to change. Apart from the poor performance of his government, the ministers and members of the CM’s cabinet are unhappy over his attitude.”
Former chief minister Syed Mehdi Shah, former local bodies minister Engineer Ismail, former information minister Sadia Danish and other party leaders were also present on the occasion.
“Submitting a no-confidence motion is the unanimous decision of our party in GB. If a legislator with a single seat in Balochistan Assembly can submit a no-confidence motion, why cannot our party move to make a change when we have two seats in GBLA,” said former chief minister Syed Mehdi Shah.
Replying to a question, he said that both the central and regional leadership of the party were on board for going for the no-confidence motion. He said that CM Hafeezur Rehman had become a dictator for not only the people of the region but also for his party workers.
He said that the decision of abandoning GB Council without giving alternative powers to GB was a highly unjustified move of the federal government. The federal government had pushed GB back to the position it had in 2008 by rolling back all the reforms introduced by PPP in 2009 by introducing a Self-Governance Order, he added.
Addressing the press conference, Engineer Ismail said that GB had been sidelined in every agreement signed with China under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) despite being a gateway to the multibillion-dollar project. He said that locals had strong reservations over the absence of CPEC related projects in GB.
Talking about the planned non-confidence motion, Javed Hussain said that next chief minister, as per the understanding of the 20 members of the assembly, would be from Diamar district. In Diamer district, a strong candidate and GBLA member from PML-N Haji Janbaz had serious differences with Hafeezur Rehman. He claimed that he was making the announcement after consulting with the nine members of the ruling party and 11 members of the opposition parties in GBLA while only 19 votes were required to oust the chief minister in the assembly.
He further said that the dramatic decision of the federal government related to GB Council had further increased division in PML-N in the area.
