PM asks Gilgit-Baltistan to benefit from CPEC projects

• Abbasi says people to bring into power only those who they seem fit
• GB Council approves Rs2.4b budget

SKARDU: The Gilgit-Baltistan Council on Wednesday approved a budget with a total outlay of about Rs 2.4 billion for financial year 2017-18 for the region.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who is also chairman of the council, chaired the meeting. In his remarks, Prime Minister Abbasi said that the federal government was committed to the development of Gilgit-Baltistan and assured that centre would provide all necessary resources in this regard.

He said the PML-N was the only government in Pakistan that had the unique honour of not only initiating development projects, but also completing these on time. He said the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was a project aimed at bringing about a sea change in the national economy.

He said that the CPEC not only provides road connectivity but would also provide opportunities for the local communities to flourish. He said that now it was upto the leadership of the Gilgit-Baltistan to optimally benefit from the project.

Prime Minister Abbasi said that the northern areas were unique as it’s people were loving, sincere and friendly. He said that democracy in the country was flourishing and now the second democratic government was in power and serving the masses. He said that the people would bring into power only those who they seem fit at the end of the term.

He also called for holding of regular meetings of the Gilgit Baltistan Council and said it served as a bridge between the federal government and the region. He said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was committed to the development of the area and had approved several socio-economic uplift projects.

He said that the federal government would continue funding of the projects under its PSDP and urged the council members to find means for generating funds for the local projects. He said that the regional leadership had to take difficult decisions. He said that work on supply of the natural gas for Gilgit had already initiated and LNG’s supply for Skardu could also start once the road was improved.

Prime Minister Abbasi said that Rs32 billion for the construction of Gilgit-Skardu Road had been allocated, which would tremendously benefit the people of the area. Federal Minister for Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir Affairs Barjees Tahir earlier presented the GB Council’s budget for the current fiscal year worth over Rs2 billion at the first meeting of the budget session held in Islamabad last month.

He was appreciative of Nawaz Sharif for his vision and thanked Prime Minister Abbasi for carrying forward his policies. He said that Nawaz Sharif had particularly directed that the GB Council budgets should be passed locally and not in Islamabad. He giving details of the budget said Rs 2398.25 million will come from tax receipts, while the total expenditure was estimated at Rs 2199.067 million.

He said Rs 1474.016 million have been allocated for development projects while Rs 725.951 million for non-development projects. The minister-in-charge also presented the Audit Report 2016-17 and Appropriation Accounts of GB Council for the Year 2015-16. The meeting was attended by Governor Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman and members of the council.

The total revenue of 2398.025 million includes Rs 1474.016 million for development, Rs 674.016m for Council Development Programme (with Rs 50 million for each member), Rs 200m for construction of Council Secretariat building at Islamabad, Rs 100m purchase of land for Council Department at Gilgit, and 500m for community development.

Prime Minister Abbasi given a briefing on the 64-kilometre-long Gilgit-Jaglot-Skardu highway that will be completed at a cost of around Rs 31 billion by December 2019, six months earlier that the scheduled completion time. Briefing about Gilgit-Jaglot-Skardu highway and other road projects in Gilgit-Baltistan, the National Highway Authority (NHA) chairman said the project was being built in collaboration with the Frontier Works Organisation on build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis.

The prime minister was apprised that the road would have double the width of 40 feet – nine meters including its shoulders – and would be much safer and fast than the existing road. The road’s ground-breaking was earlier performed by former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. The project comprised five tunnels to speed up the traffic, besides having five bridges that would complete by May 2018.

The NHA chairman also spoke of the upgradation of the Karakoram Highway, construction of five tunnels at Attabad lake site and ongoing work at Havelian Thakot section including the 6-lane Hazara Motorway. He said the work on 354 km long Gilgit-Chitral road would start soon.

The prime minister expressed his satisfaction over the pace of work and said the completion of this road was a longstanding desire of the people of area. He was particularly appreciative of FWO Director General Muhammad Afzal for undertaking a very difficult task, and that too before schedule.