President Asif Ali Zardari has signed the Gilgit-Baltistan (Empowerment and Self-Governance) Order 2009 aimed at introducing far-reaching administrative, political, financial and judicial reforms in the Northern Areas. The order would replace the 'Northern Areas Legal Framework Order (LFO) 1994'.
The government approved a self-governance reforms package for the Northern Areas on August 30, giving full internal autonomy to the Nas, without the status of a province, and changed its name to Gilgit-Baltistan. PPP, PML-N and PML-Q hadsupported the decision, while some nationalist parties rejected the package terming it as a 'gimmickry of words'.
The President congratulated the people of Gilgit and Baltistan on the realisation of another dream of emancipation, saying that the reforms by the PPP in 1975 and again in 1994 had interlinked the PPP government and reforms in Northern Areas.
Gilgit-Baltistan will now have an elected Legislative Assembly which would elect the Chief Minister. The Governor will be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. Till the election of the Legislative Assembly, the Minister of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas would be Acting Governor. The Chief Minister, elected by the Legislative Assembly, would be assisted by six ministers and two advisors.
The Legislative Assembly would have 24 members who would be elected directly, besides six women and three technocrats' seats. It would have powers to make laws on 61 subjects. There would be a Gilgit-Baltistan Consolidated Fund and the annual budget would be presented in the Assembly and voted upon as is being done by the other provinces. It will also have its own Public Service Commission, a Chief Election Commissioner and an Auditor General.
About the judicial reforms contained in the Order, he said that the Chief Judge of the Supreme Appellate Court would be appointed by the Chairman of the Council on the advice of the Governor. Other Judges shall be appointed by the Chairman on the advice of Governor after seeking views of the Chief Judge. The number of Judges would be increased from three to five.
It may be mentioned that the first major administrative, judicial and political reforms were introduced and feudal system was abolished in 1975 during the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Further democratisation of the area was effected during the government of Benazir Bhutto through the 'Northern Areas Legal Framework Order 1994'.
The third instalment of major reforms order has been signed by President Asif Ali Zardari. Under the order, Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly will formulate its own Rules of Procedure, while legislation on 61 subjects will be done by a council and an assembly in their respective jurisdictions. The Council would not need the parliament's shelter as it will have its own Rules of Business while a boundary commission has also been set up.