GBLA roundup: Lawmakers demand cut in airfare

PIA fare hikes criticised; new opposition leader nominated.

GILGIT:

Lawmakers in the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA) on Monday urged the government to encourage private airlines to fly to G-B as the poor people of the region cannot afford Pakistan International Airlines’ increasing fares.

Amina Ansari, a PML-Q lawmaker, raised a point concerning increased PIA fares and asked Chief Minister Mehdi Shah to explain what efforts he had made to attract private airlines to fly in to G-B.

“I will take up the matter with the federal government in my upcoming meeting with the defense minister,” Shah replied.

Legislators including Shireen Fatima and Raja Azam asked the chief minister to play his role in having PIA fares decreased, given that G-B is a poor region with the majority of people having limited financial resources.

Speaker Wazir Baig called PIA’s fare increase “an unjustifiable act that should be reversed”.

During the proceedings, PML-N’s Janbaz Khan was nominated as the Leader of the Opposition in the GBLA, a seat that fell vacant after Bashir Ahmed of the PML-Q joined the government as a result of the recent alliance formed at the federal level.

PPP lawmaker Sheikh Nisar submitted a resolution condemning the harsh remarks of some politicians against President Zardari and Altaf Hussain of the MQM. Except for the new opposition leader, Janbaz Khan, other members voted in favour of the resolution.

Khan opined that the government should also bring a resolution against Zulfiqar Mirza, who is continuously making disparaging remarks about PPP leaders.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd, 2011.