Northern Areas to have governor, chief minister: Gilgit-Baltistan new name, says Prime Minister

The Federal Cabinet on Saturday unanimously approved the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Ordinance 2009, designed to give more administrative and political autonomy to the Northern Areas (N.A.). Prime Minister, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, who presided over the special meeting of the Cabinet on the N.A., later speaking to the media said the new name of the Northern Areas would be Gilgit-Baltistan.
Giving details of the salient features of the new system, Gilani said Gilgit-Baltistan would have a Governor to be appointed by the President, and till the election of the Legislative Assembly, the Minister for Kashmir and Northern Areas would be the acting Governor of the area. The Chief Minister would be elected by Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly, and he would be assisted by six ministers and two advisers.
The Prime Minister said Legislative Assembly (LA) would have twenty four members who would be elected directly, and in addition it would have six women and three technocrat seats. This decision would empower the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly in making legislation, he added.
He said there would be a consolidated fund to empower the council and the assembly on financial matters, adding the budget of the area would be presented and approved by the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly. The Prime Minister said the Chief Justice of the Appellate Court would be appointed by the Chairman of the Council on the advice of the Governor, and other judges would be appointed by the Chairman on the advice of the Governor after seeking views of the chief judge.
Gilani further said the number of judges would be increased from three to five. He said a Gilgit-Baltistan Public Service Commission (PSC) was also being set up to further empower the people of the area. He said a separate Auditor General (AG) and an Election Commissioner (EC) would also be appointed. To a question, the Prime Minister said the PPP-led government had been elected for five years and it was working in accordance with its manifesto to serve the people of the country.
He said the next elections would be held after five years, adding the government was committed to repeal the 17th amendment and Article 58-2(B) to bring about a balance between presidency and parliament. Gilani said the Finance Minister also briefed him about the progress on the NFC award and he had been asked to thrash out a consensus on revenue sharing formula as soon as possible. He said all the provinces and areas would be given their due rights.
To another question, the Prime Minister said all the state institutions were working within their ambit and no step would be taken against the interest of the country. About the trial of former president, Pervez Musharraf, he said the government had not refused to conduct his trial but was trying to evolve a consensus among the coalition partners. He said he still believed that those things should be done which were doable. To a question, he said there was no minus-one formula in the democracy.