Minister highlights efforts of PML-N government for bringing peace and prosperity in Gilgit-Baltistan; says peace-loving GB people reject terrorism
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Sunday termed the results of local body elections as “The End” of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s innings.
Talking to media personnel in Islamabad, Pervaiz Rashid said that the opening batsmen of Imran Khan and his ally Sheikh Rasheed had been clean bowled in the election. He said that Rawalpindi had rejected Imran’s politics.
Pervaiz Rashid said that Imran Khan’s innings had come to an end. He even demanded a ‘rematch’ in NA-56 where Imran Khan had emerged victorious during the 2013 General Election.
Rashid said that the killers of Raja Basharat’s nephew would be arrested, no matter which political party they belonged to.
The information minister refused to comment on the Imran Farooq murder case, which was registered yesterday. He said that the question would only be answered by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
GB REJECTS TERRORISM:
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said on Sunday that the peace-loving people of Gilgit-Baltistan had rejected terrorism in its all forms and manifestations and had made the region a cradle of peace.
Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on “Realizing the potential of Gilgit-Baltistan to commemorate the independence day of GB-Nov 1, 1947”, the minister said that killing innocent people was the creed of Satan, referring to sectarian violence in the region.
“Followers of evil forces slit the throats of innocent people after disembarking them from busses and identifying them by their identity cards,” he regretted.
Rashid said that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had constituted a committee on constitutional rights of Gilgit-Baltistan under the chairmanship of his Adviser Sartaj Aziz. He said that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan would not only get constitutional rights but also the right of economic progress during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government.
He said that like constitutional rights, economic progress was also vital for the region. “Roads not only link regions but also bring people closer. They usher in economic prosperity, job opportunities and increase trade, along with promoting culture and heritage,” the minister said.
He said that after the completion of the ongoing road projects, GB would be linked with Gwadar, Karachi, Kabul and Central Asia. Poverty and ignorance would be rooted out from the area with the dawn of a new era of progress and prosperity, he added.
He said that a new era of economic empowerment for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan had already begun with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which had started from that region as per the prime minister’s vision. The door of progress and prosperity in Pakistan thus opened via. Gilgit-Baltistan, he added.
The minister said that “love for humanity” was GB’s civilisation and such a beautiful culture and traditions should not only be introduced in other cities of Pakistan but also throughout the world.
“Now is the time that all the inhabitants of earth should join hands to make the planet peaceful and secure,” he said.
He said that the traditional cuisine and dresses of people of Gilgit-Baltistan reflected their love of nature, beauty, flowers, colours, lakes etc. The traditional music of the GB reproduced the sound of wind blowing in winter, he said, adding that the people had preserved their culture since ages.
The minister said he was at a loss to as to which characteristic of the GB people’s life – their dress, music, dance or cuisine to praise. Every aspect of their lifestyle is beautiful and praiseworthy, he said.
