The resolution sailed through the house a day after the media highlighted the lack of recognition given to Baig’s achievement in the G-B Assembly. Samina Baig, 21, and her brother Mirza Ali achieved a rare mountaineering feat on Saturday as they set foot on the summit of Mount Everest in Nepal.

“We demand the siblings be given a presidential award for their achievement,” said Mutabiat Shah, a lawmaker who tabled the resolution. “Baig is a role model for the rest to follow,” he added.

Samina Baig has become the first Pakistani woman to achieve the feat while her brother is the youngest Pakistani to hoist the national flag on the summit. The siblings’ ascent came just days away from the 60th anniversary of Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay’s successful bid to tackle the Himalayan peak on May 29, 1953. Only two other Pakistani mountaineers, Nazir Sabir and Hassan Sadpara, have conquered the mountain before.

On Tuesday, the house also unanimously passed a bill tabled by a lawmaker against ‘Harassment of Women at Workplace’. The bill had already been reviewed by a committee before being presented to the house for approval.

Though Chief Minister Mehdi Shah was absent, a number of lawmakers in the house expressed their reservations over the delay in issuing tenders for development schemes in their respective areas. They demanded the process be initiated immediately, so complaints could be promptly addressed. Speaker Wazir Baig later adjourned the session till today (Wednesday).

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2013.

In a statement released by the President’s Secretariat on Monday, President Zardari said Baig made the entire nation proud by becoming the first Pakistani woman to climb Everest.  He lauded her determination and praised her as a symbol of the great talent and potential of women in the country.

Furthermore, the president paid glowing tributes not just to 21-year-old Baig, but also to her brother Ali, who is 29.

He said their achievement represented the potential of the youth to rise in every field, and underscored the importance of grooming and guiding talented Pakistanis, especially women and the youth, to fully realise their capabilities.

President Zardari expressed hope that the siblings will continue their hard work and keep Pakistan’s flag waving high in the world of mountaineering.

A disquieting silence

Despite the national acclaim, members of the Gilgit-Baltistan legislative assembly session made absolutely no mention of the siblings’ achievement.

The assembly, dominated by the Pakistan Peoples Party, also remained tight-lipped over the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz victory in the polls.

“The house discussed the former chief secretary Sajjad Hottiana and the role of bureaucracy but didn’t appreciate the achievement of the climbers who are residents of G-B,” said journalist Abdur Rahman Bukhari, also adding that ignoring PML-N’s victory also speaks volumes for the government’s intentions about its opponents.

No small feat

In the past, only two other Pakistani mountaineers, Nazir Sabir and Hassan Sadpara, have scaled Mount Everest.

Baig and Ali, who belong to the small town of Shimshal in the Hunza Valley, scaled the 8,848 metre peak early on Sunday after a gruelling expedition in rough weather.

Karrar Haidri, a member of the executive council of the Pakistan Alpine Club, said Baig had raised Pakistan’s name in the world.” She used her own resources and despite rough weather and fears of an avalanche she never lost courage,” Haidri told AFP. “I sincerely hope that [her] achievement will induce more and more women to join
this sport and help us convince the government to give [us] more funds.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2013.

“He tried to turn my colleagues against me and also tried to incite me against them by saying they were corrupt,” Shah said in the G-B Assembly, referring to Hotiana who was recently transferred on the former’s complaints.

The CM’s comments came after lawmaker Nawaz Naji criticised the government for failing to keep a check on bureaucracy, saying the real power rests with bureaucrats and not elected representatives. “Hotiana alone availed hundreds of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) tickets and no one sought any explanation from him,” claimed Naji.

Hotiana was famous among the educated circles in G-B for being available on Facebook, a move the regional government did not like. In a bid to refrain him from using the website, CM Shah banned the use of Facebook during office hours last month. This, however, did little to deter Hotiana.

On a point of order, Nawaz Naji said no development work had been undertaken in Ghizer valley during the past three years and asked assembly speaker Wazir Baig to present the list of expenditures before the house.

Minister of Works Bashir Ahmad defended the government, saying money was spent on completing earlier projects, the details of which would be presented to the house.

Lawmaker Riazuddin drew the speaker’s attention to delays in the establishment of the G-B public service tribunal and the Gilgit and Skardu development authorities, asking him to expedite the process. Upon this, Wazir Baig asked the CM to establish all the institutions mentioned in the G-B Governance Order 2009.

Meanwhile, the house unanimously passed the ‘Child Protection Bill’ tabled by a lawmaker.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2013.

ISLAMABAD / GILGIT-BALTISTAN: Two young siblings achieved rare mountaineering glory for themselves on Saturday by becoming the first Pakistani woman and only the third Pakistani man to set foot on the summit of Mount Everest in Nepal.

Through their feats, 21-year-old Samina Baig and her 29-year-old brother Mirza Ali ensured that their country’s flag fluttered on the world’s highest summit.

An ecstatic Samina informed her family about her successful ascent via satellite phone.

Mirza Ali and Samina can count themselves lucky as they will be remembered as the only Pakistanis to scale Everest on the 60th anniversary of the first conquest by Edmund Hillary on May 19, 1953.

Only two other Pakistani mountaineers, Nazir Sabir and Hassan Sadpara, have ever climbed the highest peak.

“According to initial reports, the two mountaineers and 29 other foreigners reached the summit at 7.30am (local time),” said Pervaizuddin, a resident of Shimshal Valley.

Two twin sisters from India, Tashi and Nugshi, also accompanied Samina and Mirza.

Together, the siblings placed the flags of India and Pakistan side by side on the highest peak on earth – making a statement of peace.

But Samina and Mirza’s effort stood out because the two siblings managed to scale the peak on the 48th day of their expedition, without the use of supplementary oxygen.

Mirza, who has been regularly updating about their expedition on his blog mirzaadventure.blogspot.com, wrote: “We request all our readers and visitors [to] please pray that Samina becomes the first Pakistani woman to reach the summit of Everest. And I hope to be the first young Pakistani without bottled oxygen to unfurl Pakistan’s flag on top of the world together with our Indian friends! Wish us luck! Thank you for sharing and for your support!”

Hailing from Shimshal village in Gojal tehsil of Hunza-Nagar district, Samina has come a long way.

“She is proof that the country has the talent and motivation; unfortunately there is no government support for mountain climbers,” said Colonel Sher Khan, one of the country’s leading mountaineers. “It is a sport without spectators.” Khan counts the people of Shimshal as among the world’s the best climbers.

Samina’s expedition began on April 1. She and her team ascended the mountain via the south face from the Nepalese side.

Mirza and Samina have been mountaineering for leisure for the last 10 years. They have served as mountain guides and expedition leaders for peaks in the Karakoram, the Himalayas and the Hindukush. But Samina has started climbing professionally for the past four years.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2013.

The JUI-F has been the coalition partner of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the G-B government for the past three years, with JUI-F leader and health minister Haji Gulbar defending Chief Minister Mehdi Shah on every front.

Similarly, Maulana Attaullah Shahab, a member of the G-B Council, remained advisor to former prime ministers Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf for almost three years and availed every opportunity to bash PML-N on corruption and lawlessness.

Though the PML-N chief in G-B, Hafizur Rahman, remains marred by the bitter memories of JUI-F’s regional leaders, he must respect the agreement reached between the two parties in the centre.

If he defies the agreement, he runs the risk of losing credibility among the party’s central leadership. “It’s a really tricky situation now,” said Nafees Ahmad, a political analyst in Gilgit. “Rahman has to either convince the Sharif brothers to withdraw from the agreement with the JUI-F or just forget the past,” he added.

Following PML-N’s victory on Election Day, Rahman triggered a regional debate after expressing his desire to replace the G-B governor with a party candidate. Many parties, with the JUI-F in the forefront, opposed his idea.

“Any unconstitutional move will be resisted with full force,” said JUI-F’s Gulbar while referring to Rahman’s suggestion. “The governor will remain as long as the president wishes.”

Meanwhile, Rahman avoided commenting on whether he would like friendlier ties with the JUI-F in G-B. “It is too early to comment on it,” he told reporters on Saturday.

A JUI-F delegation from G-B met the party’s chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad to update him on the situation emerging in the region in the wake of the May 11 polls. At the meeting, Fazl assured the participants his full support.

Though the alliance has rekindled hopes of a rapprochement between the two parties in G-B, it remains undetermined whether the JUI-F will be offered the slot for the advisor to PM.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2013.

Hafizur Rahman expressed his desire to replace the existing governor with one from PML-N a day after his party emerged as the largest force in the May 11 polls. The shift of power at the centre is bound to affect G-B’s government as it is dependent on the federal government for funds and budget.

Presently, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is the ruling party in G-B, with Mehdi Shah the chief minister and Pir Karam Ali Shah the governor.

“We will not accept an imported governor for G-B,” said Janbaz Khan of PML-N, who is currently the opposition leader in the G-B Assembly. “We have made sacrifices for the party, therefore we will not tolerate any cheating,” he said, indirectly proposing himself for the post.

Janbaz was among those who played an active part during the campaigning for PML-N candidate in Mansehra and other areas.

Another senior leader of PML-N from Ghizer valley, Sultan Madad quietly reached Raiwind to congratulate PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif for the victory.

Similarly, G-B’s former chief executive Mir Ghazanfar is said to be yet another hopeful, justifying his selection for the position. On Tuesday, he demanded the dissolution of the G-B Assembly, terming it “corrupt”.

Ghazanfar switched to PML-Quaid (PML-Q) during General Pervez Musharraf’s government, but returned to PML-N after Musharraf’s tenure ended.

Former speaker of G-B Assembly, Malik Miskeen from Diamer valley is also in line, hoping to be the next governor. Like Ghazanfar, the seasoned politician from Diamer Valley switched to PML-Q during Musharraf’s government and returned to the PML-N’s fold recently.

As the strength of the aspirants swell, Hafizur Rahman said the issue would be decided after consultation with the central leadership.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2013.

Currently, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is the ruling party in G-B’s coalition government, with Mehdi Shah as the CM and Pir Karam Ali Shah as governor. A change at the centre is bound to affect the government of G-B because it is dependent on the federal government for funds and its budget.

The PML-N’s office in Gilgit was seen flooded by people from all walks of life coming to congratulate Rehman on his party’s success for the second consecutive day after the unofficial results were announced.

Apart from the general public, Rehman is reportedly being greeted by his political opponents, ruling parties’ lawmakers and
bureaucrats alike.

CM Mehdi Shah also called Rehman to congratulate him, though he could not get through to him the first three times owing to Rehman’s “busy schedule”.

“The situation in G-B has changed suddenly. It seems the PML-N is the ruling party and Rehman the new chief minister,” said Khalid Iqbal, a senior analyst. “I don’t think the PML-N central leadership will act against the G-B government, but it is very likely that Shah will be made accountable for what he has done during the past three years in power.”

Rehman has ruled out the possibility of toppling Shah’s government before it completes its tenure in 2014. However, it is widely believed Shah’s heydays have come to an end.

Rehman’s close aides claim dozens of government officials and rival party leaders have approached him, ‘offering their services.’

Shah, in an attempt to downplay the hype surrounding PML-N’s victory, has said the win will not affect his government. In a statement issued late on Sunday, Shah said: “Certain people of a dictatorial mindset may wish to topple the government, but I am sure the independent media and judiciary will not let that happen.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.

“I think the governor should be someone from the PML-N,” Hafizur Rahman, G-B president of PML-N told journalists in his office on Sunday. “And we will have a word over it very soon.”

He shot down suggestions of toppling the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led G-B government ahead of time, saying the ‘Mehdi Shah administration’ should be given a fair chance to complete its term, which ends in 2014.

“We hope [in the polls] the result of the PPP government and its allies in G-B will be no different from those in the rest of the country,” said Rahman, referring to the dismal performance of the PPP in the general elections.

Pir Karam Ali Shah, a PPP stalwart from Ghizer Valley, is the current governor of G-B. The PPP is the ruling party in the area with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Muttahida Qaumi Movement, and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid as coalition partners.

In order to fix discrepancies in the system, Rahman asserted a strong governor, free from party biases, was the need of the hour; but at the same time he pushed for a governor from the PML-N.

“There is no accountability system to check corruption in the region and we need to establish such a system,” he said.

The PML-N G-B chief said all development programmes being run in Punjab would be extended to G-B to improve the regional economy, which suffers from a shortage of funds.

Rahman expressed his desire to strengthen G-B’s ties with Punjab, stating relations with Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa only gifted negatives such as arms and ammunition to the region.

As party celebrations continue, people from all over the region flocked to the PML-N regional office to offer congratulations over the party’s landslide victory.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.

“That’s not fair. The election commission should take immediate note of poll rigging in parts of Karachi,” complained Mohammad Din while referring to media reports of a certain party’s activists trying to sabotage the polling process in some areas.

Huge crowds were gathered outside offices of political parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Gilgit. Elsewhere, tea stalls were abuzz with political discussion and speculations on the turnout. “I am sure change will come,” said a PTI supporter.

Reports from other parts of G-B indicated a similar atmosphere in Skardu, Hunza, Ghizer and Astore, with residents eagerly awaiting the outcome. Traffic, however, remained thin as most people preferred to stay indoors and stay up-to-date with the news.

Though G-B is not represented in the National Assembly and Senate, the regional government is represented by mainstream parties. Currently, the PPP governs G-B while Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement are coalition partners.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2013.

The newest PML-N members were recruited on Thursday when Haji Qurban, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Nagar Valley president, and Jan Alam, a politician from Hunza, announced they would be joining the party’s ranks along with their supporters.

The announcement was made in a ceremony held at a local hotel, which was attended by senior leaders of the PML-N including regional chief Hafizur Rahman. Welcoming the new arrivals, Rahman hoped the party would sweep the elections.

Last week, Malik Miskeen, a senior member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) from Diamer valley, also joined the party taking with him hundreds of his supporters and friends. Miskeen, a notable politician, was the speaker of the G-B Assembly during the government of ex-president Pervez Musharraf – the man responsible for sending PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif packing.

Similarly, dozens of influential people from Barmas opted to join the PML-N, expressing confidence in the regional leadership.

Last month, Ghulam Mohammad, a key leader of the PPP in G-B, defected to the Nawaz League after he was sidelined by his own party. A resident of Ghizer valley, Mohammad remained PPP’s general secretary for several years.

Haji Fida Mohammad Nashad, a senior leader of the PML-Q, joined the PML-N in 2012. Nashad was the deputy chief executive of the G-B government during Musharraf’s tenure.

The PML-N’s popularity in G-B, at least amongst veteran politicians, is rising day by day in the run up to the polls. Independent observers believe the defections may increase in the coming days if the PML-N wins a majority.

Meanwhile, even though residents of G-B cannot cast their votes on Election Day due to constitutional reasons, they will be closely watching who forms the country’s next democratic government in Islamabad come May 11.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2013.