G-B assembly congratulates PML-N for poll win

A PML-Q legislator inquires into the promise of making Gilgit and Skardu airports ‘all weather’.

GILGIT: On the fourth day of the first Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) assembly session after polls, speaker Wazir Baig congratulated the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawan (PML-N) and winning parties and hoped the incoming government of “would strengthen the process of accountability in the G-B region.”

Baig made these comments after Nawaz Khan Naji, one of the three opposition members in the assembly, felicitated the Nawaz government hoped it would pay attention to reinforcing the National Accountability Bureau in G-B.

The outspoken Naji has time and again accused the government of patronising corruption in G-B. In the last meeting held on Thursday, Naji had a fierce argument with the treasury benches after he defended the opposition leader Janbanz Khan who had earlier termed the cabinet members “dacoits” for their alleged massive corruption during the past three years.

“At the same time we expect that the Nawaz government will not opt for any unconstitutional act against the assembly,” Naji added.

Proceedings

During the session, Amina Ansari, a PML-Q legislator from Skardu, inquired into the promise of making Gilgit and Skardu airports ‘all weather’. The central leadership of PPP, including Yousaf Raza Gilani, during election campaigns, had promised to make the two airports all-weather, a status that could ensure uninterrupted flights between the two regions even during rainy days.

Chief Minister Mehdi Shah said that project was shelved because civil aviation authority said the G-B was fell within the Red Zone.

He informed that President Asif Zardari had then contacted the China for assistance in this regard.

Furthermore, assembly also passed the Electoral Act unanimously, tabled by law minister Ali Madad Sher. The enactment would allow the computerisation of the electoral system in G-B by linking it with NADRA.