G-B parliamentary body blasts BAP's interim province move

The parliamentary committee of Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday condemned and rejected the draft of the bill submitted by the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) in the Senate, seeking provisional constitutional status for G-B.

“The bill submitted by BAP members in the Senate in a dramatic way isn’t acceptable for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan,” read a statement, signed by 13 members of the G-B Assembly, issued today.

The lawmakers are part of the parliamentary committee working separately on a constitutional draft.

“The bill submitted in the senate by BAP not only lacked consultation with relevant stakeholders but also the details,” read the statement issued after the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was ridiculed on social media for being "powerless".

The parliamentary body categorically said they would not accept any bill other than the one prepared by themselves.

Also read: G-B Assembly unanimously adopts joint-resolution for interim province status

The communique further said that the chief minister G-B had spoken to Prime Minister Imran Khan and ensured that the bill submitted by BAP would be withdrawn.

The development comes a day after BAP, a key ally of the government, submitted a bill in the Senate secretariat for the elevation of the region into an interim province of the country, with representation in the National Assembly and the Senate.

The bill submitted by senators Kauda Babar, Ahmad Khan, Naseebullah Bazai and Prince Omar, proposed an amendment to Article 1 of the Constitution to create a new interim province. It said that the people of G-B had long demanded equal citizenship rights in the country.

In December 2020, the prime minister announced that an exclusive committee would be tasked to work out the formalities for the provisional provincial status on a timeline-basis that would meet the longstanding demand of the people.

Last year in September, the government decided to elevate G-B to the status of a full-fledged province with all constitutional rights, including its representation in the Senate and the National Assembly, Minister Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur said.