G-B empowered by reforms package: PM
PM summons Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. PHOTO: REUTERS
GILGIT/MUZZAFARABAD:
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Sunday said that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan have been empowered through governance “Order 2018”.
Addressing the Joint session of Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly and Gilgit-Baltistan Council, Abbasi said that after the enforcement of the order, all subjects from G-B Council have been shifted to assembly under the 18th amendment.
“Under the new order, all the subjects devolved to provinces under the 18th amendment have been devolved to G-B,” he said. ”G-B Council will deal with the federal subjects in an advisory capacity only,” the premier told the session which was boycotted by the opposition members, one of whom had a scuffle with a member of treasury benches.
“We faced resistance from within own ranks because some people never wanted to give up their powers, he said and added that the government had been working on the order for the last seven to eight months. “I thank the minister for Kashmir Affairs and G-B Barjees Tahir who supported the government despite being opposed from his ministry.”
Judges of High Court and Chief Justice of High Court will be appointed from Gilgit-Baltistan under the new package.
“Just as other provinces, the provincial civil service structure would also be established for G-B to employ the locals for public service…G-B would also be given quota in Pakistan Civil Service,” he said.
He said that the chief secretaries will be given all powers so people would not need to visit Islamabad for resolution of their issues. A single consolidated fund would be established and G-B will have the powers to spend it for development.
With regards to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said that Gilgit-Baltistan is the base of CPEC and people of GB will get more benefits from it. Earlier, Chief Minister Hafeez-ur-Rehman in his address thanked Abbasi and termed his visit a milestone in the history of G-B.
Opposition rejects G-B reforms package
Minister of Kashmir Affairs Gilgit-Baltistan Muhammad Barjees Tahir, Governor Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan attended the session.
The PM inaugurated the new building of G-B Legislative Assembly, which was completed at a cost of Rs910 million in more than a decade. Abbasi also visited the Yadgar-e-Shuhadah in Chinar Bagh to lay a floral wreath and offer Fateha for the heroes and martyrs of the liberation war of G-B.
Abbasi laid the foundation stone of Gilgit-Naltar expressway project. The road project will be completed at a cost of Rs2.6 billion in three years. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also laid the foundation stone of G-B secretariat project.
The PTI lawmaker Raja Jehanzeb Khan tore the governance order copy as the session got underway, terming it a ‘dummy exercise’ that fails to address people’s aspirations. A couple of executive bench lawmakers approached towards the enraged PTI lawmaker resulting in a scuffle, which ended in a walkout.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Sunday said that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan have been empowered through governance “Order 2018”.
Addressing the Joint session of Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly and Gilgit-Baltistan Council, Abbasi said that after the enforcement of the order, all subjects from G-B Council have been shifted to assembly under the 18th amendment.
G-B order 2018 triggers protest in Gilgit
“Under the new order, all the subjects devolved to provinces under the 18th amendment have been devolved to G-B,” he said. ”G-B Council will deal with the federal subjects in an advisory capacity only,” the premier told the session which was boycotted by the opposition members, one of whom had a scuffle with a member of treasury benches.
“We faced resistance from within own ranks because some people never wanted to give up their powers, he said and added that the government had been working on the order for the last seven to eight months. “I thank the minister for Kashmir Affairs and G-B Barjees Tahir who supported the government despite being opposed from his ministry.”
Judges of High Court and Chief Justice of High Court will be appointed from Gilgit-Baltistan under the new package.
“Just as other provinces, the provincial civil service structure would also be established for G-B to employ the locals for public service…G-B would also be given quota in Pakistan Civil Service,” he said.
He said that the chief secretaries will be given all powers so people would not need to visit Islamabad for resolution of their issues. A single consolidated fund would be established and G-B will have the powers to spend it for development.
With regards to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said that Gilgit-Baltistan is the base of CPEC and people of GB will get more benefits from it. Earlier, Chief Minister Hafeez-ur-Rehman in his address thanked Abbasi and termed his visit a milestone in the history of G-B.
Opposition rejects G-B reforms package
Minister of Kashmir Affairs Gilgit-Baltistan Muhammad Barjees Tahir, Governor Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan attended the session.
The PM inaugurated the new building of G-B Legislative Assembly, which was completed at a cost of Rs910 million in more than a decade. Abbasi also visited the Yadgar-e-Shuhadah in Chinar Bagh to lay a floral wreath and offer Fateha for the heroes and martyrs of the liberation war of G-B.
Abbasi laid the foundation stone of Gilgit-Naltar expressway project. The road project will be completed at a cost of Rs2.6 billion in three years. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also laid the foundation stone of G-B secretariat project.
The PTI lawmaker Raja Jehanzeb Khan tore the governance order copy as the session got underway, terming it a ‘dummy exercise’ that fails to address people’s aspirations. A couple of executive bench lawmakers approached towards the enraged PTI lawmaker resulting in a scuffle, which ended in a walkout.
Outside the assembly, political parties, led by Awami Action Committee (AAC) continued to protest against the reforms package and described premier’s arrival as a black day.