To pave the way for a caretaker set-up which will supervise elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, the government has suggested amendments to the G-B Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009.
Although the governance order, introduced by Pakistan Peoples Party, enhanced the constitutional status of G-B, it does not mention anything about an interim setup to replace the existing government which completes its five-year term on December 12.
“The recommendations have been forwarded to the federal government so that changes can be made to the governance order,” Attaullah Shahab, a senior member of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), told The Express Tribune on Monday.
JUI-F is a coalition partner of the PPP government in G-B headed by Chief Minister Mehdi Shah.
“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is expected to approve the amendments in the upcoming meeting of the G-B Council scheduled for next month,” said Shahab, who has served as adviser to the PM on G-B in Yousaf Raza Gilani’s tenure.
The G-B Council is chaired by the prime minister and comprises six members each from G-B and the federal government.
According to Shahab, once the term of the present government comes to an end, a caretaker chief minister would be appointed in consultation with the existing chief minister and the opposition leader.
“It was a lacuna in the governance order but we will fix it,” said the politician, referring to the lack of mention of an interim set-up in the governance order. Shahab added his party would keep its alliance with PPP intact for the coming elections which would take place in March-April 2015.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 14th, 2014.
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