ISLAMABAD: Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is going to give provisional provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) as per demand of its people.
Addressing a joint news conference with Information Minister Syed Shibli Faraz and Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen (MWM) leaders in Islamabad on Monday, the minister said provincial status had been the longstanding demand of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
"We have consulted the Azad Kashmir Government, Hurriyat leadership, international experts, and all other stakeholders whether or not giving provisional provincial status to GB will adversely affect Pakistan's stance on Kashmir. It has been a unanimous view that giving provisional provincial status to GB will not affect Pakistan's stance on Kashmir," he said.
Answering a question, Gandapur said that opposition was doing dirty politics over this matter as it would require a constitutional amendment, which needs two-third support of the parliament.
He said that for this purpose, we need the support of the opposition.
He said that in this regard, the speaker National Assembly had called a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security but the opposition boycotted it, and the speaker had to postpone it.
However, he said that if opposition did not support us then we would find another way forward.
He said the people of Pakistan and GB were watching all this.
He said that the government wanted reforms and transparent elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, and had invited the opposition to come forward in that regard. He said any positive suggestion from the opposition would be welcomed.
The Minister of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan said that the PTI government was going to provide health-card facility to 100 percent population of G-B.
He said a modern cardiac center would be established in the area as well as small hospitals and Basic Health Units would be provided all necessary facilities.
He said a medical college and an engineering university were also on the cards.
He said that soft loans of Rs2 billion would be provided to the people of G-B for the promotion of tourism in the area.
Regarding road infrastructure, the minister said that a tunnel at Babusar Top would be constructed, while a road to connect Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and G-B had already been approved.
He said the PTI government had approved setting up of a Special Economic Zone under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and an industrial zone to create job opportunities for the youth of the area.
The MWM leader, Nasir Shah, announced to form an election coalition with the PTI for future dispensation.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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