Both the treasury and opposition benches in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly unanimously rejected on Thursday the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly’s resolution seeking to become province of Pakistan.
If Gilgit-Baltistan becomes a province of Pakistan, it would be counterproductive for the Kashmir cause, the AJK assembly echoed. Both Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir are parts of a disputed territory and the people have to decide their fate under the UN resolutions, the AJK Finance Minister Latif Akbar said moving a verbal resolution to condemn the G-B assembly initiative.
“We demand the G-B assembly to take back the resolution to make the area a province of Pakistan. Both G-B and AJK are not constitutionally parts of Pakistan,” Akbar said.
In this connection both the AJK Supreme Court and High Court have ruled that before the final settlement of the whole state of Jammu and Kashmir neither G-B nor AJK can be made province of Pakistan, he elaborated.
Deputy Opposition Leader Tariq Farooq said they were not expecting G-B to seek provincial status. “The people of AJK had voiced concerns when the former Pakistani government announced a chief minister and governor for G-B,” Farooq said. “The elected representatives of G-B should not take steps that will create problems for the people in future,” he added.
All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (AJKMC) leader and Member Legislative Assembly Malik Nawaz said that to merge it in Pakistan was unacceptable as it would dent the liberation movement of Jammu and Kashmir.
Minister for Higher Education Matloob Inqalabi said that G-B is constitutionally under AJK assembly and they have no right to announce to make it the province of Pakistan.
Fearing the breakup with AJK, Inqalabi became apologetic for ignoring the people of G-B in development and progress. “Although our (AJK) leadership had not given the G-B people their due rights, we should forget the past and work together for better future,” he said.
Inqalabi said that before making G-B a province, it will be necessary to amend the constitution of Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 12th, 2014.
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although its right of people of G.B to decide what they want.but constituationly G.B is the part of kashmir and kashmir is the distibuted area.and in these days this G.B assemly completed its tenure of 5 yeas.so it has no moral authority to pass such a resolution.
There is no doubt that whatever little G-B would develop, it would do so better as a province of Pakistan that under the leadership of AJK. Can't hold giving better life to people ransom to the solution of Kashmir, which is not possible. India will not give up its claim, neither can Pakistan force India to do so. How many generations on either side of Kashmir have live and die an unprivileged life?
It is better if you people give some special power to GB province under your constitution like we have given them under Indian constitution article 370 these people wont remain silent. I think you may given to them and I don't know about that.
what is wrong with AJK people. GB people want their own government. The world is now recognizing the wishes of people as evident from Scotland referendum and in other parts of Europe. Lets hold a free, fair and transparent referendum, AJK will realize the wishes of GB people.
And our absurd "Kashmir policy" wins yet more anger and resentment. GB should be formally made a province, and so should AJK. LoC should become a formal international border and we can call this issue a close. We have the control, but have yet to make an formal claim in the constitution.
India will not give up its control of J&K but it cannot "win back" AJK or GB either unless it wages war which neither side can afford. UNSC resolutions can take a hike, as the ones on Kashmir plebiscite are non-binding anyway.