GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution demanding provisional provincial status and representation in parliament for the semi-autonomous region.
The resolution was tabled jointly by the region’s Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan and Education Minister Raja Azam Khan, both from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), GB Assembly Opposition Leader Amjad Hussain Advocate from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), assembly member Ghulam Muhammad from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) leader Muhammad Kazim, Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Rehmat Khaliq.
The resolution sought to amend the Constitution to declare the region a provisional province of Pakistan “without causing any damage to the country’s stance on the Kashmir dispute”.
“This house reiterates that the people of GB will continue their moral and political support to the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir in their struggle. The resolution was passed by the House unanimously.”
The GB Assembly secretariat also forwarded a copy of the resolution to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat.
In November, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the government will give provisional provincial status to the region.
“We have made a decision to grant provisional provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan, which has long been the demand here,” he had said in a speech.
The prime minister had said the decision was within the scope of the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on Kashmir.
While he gave no time-frame for its implementation, such a move would require a constitutional amendment passed by two-thirds of the National Assembly.
Gilgit-Baltistan, which borders Afghanistan and China, is the gateway of the $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure plan. But the region has so far reaped few rewards.
Locals fought pro-India forces and opted to join Pakistan in 1948. But since then GB has not been granted full inclusion by the Constitution, over fears doing so would jeopardise Islamabad’s international stance that all of Kashmir is disputed territory.
While the GB assembly has few powers, the National Assembly and Senate have no representation from the region, and it receives only a fraction of the national budget.
Commenting on the passage of the resolution, Chief Minister Khan said the GB Assembly “unanimously passed a historic resolution demanding the provision of constitutional rights to the region.”
(1/2)
Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly unanimously passed a historic resolution demanding provision of constitutional rights to the region. I myself presented the resolution in the assembly. I am thankful to the opposition leader for their support.. pic.twitter.com/xOoWAXqMWs— Muhammad Khalid Khurshid Khan (@AbdulKhalidPTI) March 9, 2021
In a series of tweets, Khan, while thanking the opposition parties and the treasury members, said: “The demand for constitutional rights is a unanimous demand of the people of GB, not that of an individual/ party. The unity we’ve shown on this issue needs to be repeated again at [the] federal level.”
(2/2)
And also the members of government for working their best to create consensus. The demand for constitutional rights is a uninamous demand of the people of GB, not of an individual/ party only. The unity we’ve shown on this issue needs to be repeated again at federal level.— Muhammad Khalid Khurshid Khan (@AbdulKhalidPTI) March 9, 2021
Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry termed the development a “historic day” and said it was “truly a leap forward”.
Histrionic day for the people of #GilgitBaltistan all parties unanimously demand interim provincial status for GB to ensure constitutional rights for the people… truly a leap forward… kudoos to all who made it possible pic.twitter.com/V02Jf43K2y
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 9, 2021
