Report on devolution of power to G-B soon

Federal Minister Gandapur directs holding meetings with all stakeholders on a daily basis

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has said meetings with all stakeholders will be held on a daily basis to quickly and efficiently compile a report to determine the political and constitutional rights of G-B for devolution of power.

“The federal government believes in devolution of power at grass-roots level,” said the federal minister while chairing the recently-formed committee’s meeting held on Monday.

Federal Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem, Attorney General for Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan governor, secretaries defence, foreign and Kashmir and G-B Affairs, G-B minister for law, chief secretary and others were present.

“As per the committee’s Terms of Reference (ToR) the people of G-B will be empowered,” said Gandapur. “Important national interest matters will be given priority in preparing the recommendations.”

He said the committee would examine G-B’s rights for which ToRs had been already fixed by reviewing the G-B Governance Order 2018 in light of the Sartaj Aziz Committee’s report, Supreme Court verdict on Al-Jahad Trust petition 1999, attorney general's recommendations, status of G-B in light of UN resolutions on Kashmir and stand taken by the government of Pakistan at international level.