Constitutional status: G-B lawyers suggest reforms ahead of CM’s crucial meeting

Hafeezur Rehman to meet Sartaj Aziz over G-B Governance Order 2009


Shabbir Mir November 13, 2015
Hafeezur Rahman. PHOTO: FILE

GILGIT:


Lawyers in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) suggested a roadmap to determine the fate of the G-B Governance Order 2009 as Chief Minister Hafeezur Rahman is set to meet National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz in Islamabad this week.


Rahman is expected to meet Aziz, who is heading a committee formed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for reforms in the G-B Empowerment and Self-Rule Order 2009. The order is responsible for bringing the region’s status at par with a province.

“Make this region a provisional constitutional unit till the settlement of the Kashmir dispute,” said G-B Bar Council Vice Chairman Advocate Shehbaz Khan on Thursday, a day after the legal fraternity met in Gilgit and agreed on a proposal. “Ensure G-B’s representation in all federal constitutional forums and institutions as was done by India for occupied Jammu and Kashmir in 1948 and 1957,” he suggested.

He said an amendment in Article 1 (2) will be required to include G-B in the territories of Pakistan and the addition of Article 257-A will give the region the status of a provisional unit.

“The insertion of the additional article will give G-B powers to legislate on subjects other than defence, foreign affairs, communication, finance and currency,” said Shehbaz. “This will also ensure G-B’s representation in parliament and will pave the way for the region to have its own constitution.”

Moreover, he said amendments in articles 41, 51, 59, 175 will give G-B due representation in the National Assembly, Senate and Supreme Court of Pakistan.

He said the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs should be directed to make amendments in the G-B Governance Order 2009 to make the region’s legislative assembly a constituent one. The lawyer hoped these steps would silence Indian government which time and again raised the issue of G-B’s constitutional status to score points.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2015.

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