ISLAMABAD: Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid has slammed the federal government for cutting the development allocations of the region up to 50% in the budget 2022-23.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday in Islamabad along with Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders including Murad Saeed and Ali Amin Gandapur,
GB CM Khalid Khurshid said that at least Rs50 billion should be allocated
for the Gilgit-Baltistan region in the federal budget.
Khurshid said the coalition government led by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz
(PML-N) has deliberately reduced the allocations of the GB region while the
50% cut will affect the pace of development.
He detailed that GB was not given electricity from Water and Power
Development Authority (WAPDA) despite the region contributing to hydropower
generation for the country.
The chief minister said that former prime minister Imran Khan had provided
200 megawatts of electricity to the GB region during his first year besides
making efforts for giving constitutional rights to the people. Imran Khan
had also opened doors of development for GB and gave an international
airport.
CM Khalid Khurshid alleged that GB development projects were being sabotaged
by the present government and the region is now deprived of sufficient funds
to cope with a natural disaster.
Murad Saeed said that a new wave of inflation has hit the country after the
massive hike in prices of petrol, diesel, electricity and gas. The present
government has destroyed the national economy within 45 days and the
‘imported’ finance minister is hinting at another hike in petroleum products
prices, he added.
The PTI leader criticised the development allocations’ cut for GB, which is
tantamount to stopping the country’s development. He vowed that PTI will
pursue the case of tribal districts, GB and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Ali Amin Gandapur said that the GB people were not happy with the steps of
the present government and PTI will not let the current rulers deprive the
rights of the GB and AJK people.
