Now or never: Lawyers demand abolition of Ministry of Kashmir and G-B
Legal fraternity presses for constituent assembly elections in both regions.
The demand was put forward in a joint declaration signed by Coordination Council of G-B and AJK during its first meeting in Islamabad on Saturday. STOCK IMAGE
GILGIT:
Lawyers in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) have demanded the abolition of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and G-B as it poses a major stumbling block to constitutional rights.
The demand was put forward in a joint declaration signed by Coordination Council of G-B and AJK during its first meeting in Islamabad on Saturday.
The body was formed last week by the legal fraternity in G-B and AJK to launch a collective struggle for autonomy and eliminate misunderstandings between both regions. According to insiders, the declaration was signed by various lawyers, including G-B Bar council vice president Advocate Shehbaz Khan and AJK Bar council advocate Raja Khalid Mehmood.
Speaking to The Express Tribune on Sunday, Khan said the meeting was a historic step towards achieving constitutional rights.
“The ministry has repeatedly treated the people of G-B and AJK as second-class citizens,” he said. “Through this new council, lawyers from both regions are demanding elections for a constituent assembly. This will help G-B and AJK come out of their constitutional limbo”.
The abolition of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and G-B will serve “the interests of the country”, stated a copy of the declaration available with The Express Tribune. “The ministry has denied constitutional rights to both regions, creating a strong sense of deprivation among the people,” read the declaration. “To keep its hegemony over both the regions, the ministry has formed institutions like the G-B Council and AJK Council.”
Although the ministry has been repeatedly criticised, this is the first time lawyers from both regions have joined hands to demand its abolition.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2rd, 2015.
Lawyers in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) have demanded the abolition of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and G-B as it poses a major stumbling block to constitutional rights.
The demand was put forward in a joint declaration signed by Coordination Council of G-B and AJK during its first meeting in Islamabad on Saturday.
The body was formed last week by the legal fraternity in G-B and AJK to launch a collective struggle for autonomy and eliminate misunderstandings between both regions. According to insiders, the declaration was signed by various lawyers, including G-B Bar council vice president Advocate Shehbaz Khan and AJK Bar council advocate Raja Khalid Mehmood.
Speaking to The Express Tribune on Sunday, Khan said the meeting was a historic step towards achieving constitutional rights.
“The ministry has repeatedly treated the people of G-B and AJK as second-class citizens,” he said. “Through this new council, lawyers from both regions are demanding elections for a constituent assembly. This will help G-B and AJK come out of their constitutional limbo”.
The abolition of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and G-B will serve “the interests of the country”, stated a copy of the declaration available with The Express Tribune. “The ministry has denied constitutional rights to both regions, creating a strong sense of deprivation among the people,” read the declaration. “To keep its hegemony over both the regions, the ministry has formed institutions like the G-B Council and AJK Council.”
Although the ministry has been repeatedly criticised, this is the first time lawyers from both regions have joined hands to demand its abolition.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2rd, 2015.