The cabinet members of Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC) on Monday demanded of the government a provincial status or a setup in line with the Azad Kashmir having its own prime minister and president till the resolution of the issue.
They said this at a meeting of the Cabinet of the Northern Areas Legislative Council presided over by Major Tahir Iqbal (Retd), the Minister for Kana division and Chief Executive of Northern Areas.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Chief Executive and six advisors of the council. They expressed their concerns that Northern Areas has been deprived of its fundamental rights due to the Kashmir issue and sought either provincial status or a set up like Azad Jammu and Kashmir for the time being.
They contended that Northern Areas are part of Pakistan and should be declared as such by granting provincial status and renaming council as assembly.
On the occasion, the minister assured that Northern Areas would be treated at par with the other regions by giving legitimate rights to its people. The minister said that the reform package for granting fundamental constitutional powers to the Northern Areas representatives is being finalised and would be sent to the Federal Cabinet for approval very soon.
Tahir Iqbal said that the reforms would be introduced as amendments in the Legal Framework Order and it is expected that 90 percent of the recommendations forwarded by the NAs representatives for inclusion in LFO would be approved.
The minister said that amendments have been drafted after intensive and detailed deliberations involving all the stakeholders, which have been validated by the Ministry of Law and Finance.
He said that President and Prime Minister have envisioned a bright and prosperous future for the people of NAs and extensive and sincere efforts are being made to ensure realisation of their dream.
The minister said that he is endeavouring to ensure that amendments in Legal Framework Order should provide foolproof safeguards to Northern Areas people.
He said that amendments in almost all the articles of LFO have been proposed which would satisfy demands of Northern Areas people and their representatives.
He informed that the cabinet members of NALC would be provided privileges, rights and authority equivalent to the Azad Jammu Kashmir Government Ministers for which a separate summary is being moved.