New appointments: PML-N announces office bearers in G-B

Regional leadership shuffled in run-up to polls scheduled for May.

GILGIT: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has shuffled its party leadership in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).

The changes have been approved by Prime Minister and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and the office bearers have been notified, said spokesperson Habib Rehman on Saturday.

Hafeezur Rehman has been appointed as the regional president while Muhammad Akbar Taban has been appointed as regional general secretary. The decision has been taken at a time when polls in G-B are around the corner and the party is rife with internal rifts.

According to the notification, Ghulam Muhammad, Mir Ghazanfer Ali Khan, Hayat Baig, Ibrahim Sanai, Col (retd) Karim Shah, Atiqa Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Dr Muhammad Iqbal, Tahir Ayub, Haji Haider Khan and Shafiquddin have been appointed as senior vice presidents. Jafarullah Khan has been appointed as deputy general secretary, Shams Mir as political adviser while Farooq Mir will be the new information secretary.

Chief judge retires

G-B Supreme Appellate Court (SAC) Chief Judge Rana Arshad retired after completing his three-year term on Saturday.

He was appointed during the previous government, in the face of reservations voiced by the legal fraternity of the region. Meanwhile, Judge Raja Jalaluddin has taken charge as the acting chief judge. Judges at G-B’s apex court are appointed on a three-year contract, although they are entitled to privileges similar to the ones received by judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2015.