Stakeholders take to streets against Gilgit-Baltistan Order 2018

The proposed 'Gilgit Baltistan Order 2018' which is likely to replace 'The GB Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009' triggered an instant reaction from the stakeholders including the opposition parties and area residents as thousands of protesters have come out on roads in Gilgit and Skardu on Sunday. They have also vented their anger over the GB Order 2018 during the Prime Minister's visit to Gilgit.
The protest campaign is not limited to Gilgit-Baltistan, but, supporters of Youth of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) representing different students' organizations also held a protest demonstration outside Karachi Press Club (KPC) to denounce the GB Order 2018. They termed the federal government's move as eyewash aimed at seizing their fundamental constitutional rights. They said it was tantamount to further alienating the already deprived inhabitants of that region.
They deplored that under the new order, the Prime Minister has been given greater powers for legislation on various subjects despite the fact that he [the PM] is not an elected representative of the GB as the GB residents have been given no right of vote to elect their representative in the Parliament (National Assembly and the Senate)so far.
According to one of the provisions of the proposed order, a copy of which is available with Business Recorder, "The PM shall have the powers to adopt any amendment in the existing laws or any new law in force subject to the legislative competence under sub-section 2."
The provision further says the Prime Minister is competent to enact, then the law made by the Prime Minister, whether passed before or after the Act of the Assembly, shall prevail and the Act of the Assembly shall, to the extent of the repugnancy, be void. If the Assembly passes a resolution to the effect that the Prime Minister may by law regulate any matter not enumerated in the Legislative List, it shall be lawful for the Prime Minister to make law for regulating that matter accordingly, but any law so made may be amended or repealed by Act of the Assembly.
Under the articles 60(2) and 65, the PM is empowered to levy all taxes in the region as prescribed the third schedule whereas under article 64, "The Government of Pakistan may, if it deems necessary to acquire any land situate in Gilgit-Baltistan for any purpose, require the Government to acquire the land on behalf, and at the expense, of the Government of Pakistan or, if the land belongs to the Government, to transfer it to the Government of Pakistan on such terms as may be agreed mutually."
A senior GB minister on condition of anonymity said that strategically, GB is the most important region for the country. This beautiful mountainous region is heart of the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The federal government must realize that this important region cannot be run through passage of mere Orders and Ordinances. The order is not the ultimate solution to bring the GB into national sphere and for the successful CEPC project. The state must realize the severity of the issue and take precautionary actions to ensure rights of the GB residents because the new order (if fully enforced) will further deepen the sense of deprivation among the already deprived ones.
Reports suggest that the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also expressed displeasure over the government of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Order 2018, saying that it falls considerably short of the GB people's expectation of being treated as full citizens of Pakistan.
"In claiming to grant the people of GB their fundamental freedom, the GB Order has clipped their right to freedom of association and expression. It has denied any resident of Gilgit-Baltistan the right to become a chief judge of the Supreme Appellate Court or to have any say in internal security. Above all, it has disregarded people's needs despite continual public pressure in GB to address their problems fairly and in accordance with local aspirations," said the HRCP.
Reports from Gilgit had it people took to roads and chanted slogans when Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reached Gilgit to brief the assembly members on the reforms package. On Saturday, a number of people including Awami Action Committee (AAC) chairman Sultan Raees sustained injuries as police fired tear gas and resorted to aerial firing in Gilgit as the charged protesters were heading towards G-B Assembly for a scheduled sit-in against the newly-proposed G-B Order 2018.
The social media campaign 'We reject GB Order 2018' has gone viral as the users hailing from GB are making anti-government posts and urging the state to consider them as citizens of Pakistan and grant them with full rights. One of the users posted 'injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty....GB needs constitutional rights...'
On the other hand, provincial law minister Aurangzeb termed the GB Order 2018 as devolution of greater financial and administrative powers to the region. Information Adviser Shams Mir said the reforms had been major demand of the area people and now it would bring region at par with other provinces in terms of socio-economic development. Under the new order name of chief court had been changed into high court and number of high court judges had been raised to two on demand of the lawyers' community. Name of Legislative Assembly had been changed into Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly and would have same legislative powers as other provinces of the country including powers under the Schedule-IV of the country's constitution.