Fighting words: PPP wants military courts in G-B

Senior party leader accuses regional govt of corruption

GILGIT: Pakistan Peoples Party has pressed the federal government to establish military courts in Gilgit–Baltistan as part of the National Action Plan (NAP).

“The government should not delay establishing military courts in the region since everyone is on board with the idea,” former deputy speaker Jamil Ahmed told the media in Gilgit on Saturday.

“A delay in establishing military courts in the region will delay the implementation of NAP,” he said.

Amid allegations

Speaking on the occasion, PPP leader and former G-B council member Amjad Hussain shed light on the incumbent government’s performance in the region.

“The G-B government is corrupt,” he said. “Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has propagated an anti-corruption rhetoric in the region to divert attention from its own fraudulent practices.”

According to Hussain, Rs20 million was spent on the PML-N secretariat to give it the status of a chief minister sub-office.

“I strongly urge National Accountability Bureau to look into the matter and prove its effectiveness and credibility,” he said. He accused G-B CM Hafeezur Rahman of making backdoor appointments in various government departments.

“The CM has only awarded contracts to those people who had invested money in his election campaign,” he added.

Tax problems

The former lawmaker said an all parties conference should be convened against the government’s decision to impose a withholding tax on business transactions in the region.

“Taxation isn’t acceptable without representation in the Parliament,” he said.  The imposition of income tax in the region is also illegal as the previous G-B council did not approve of it.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2015.