Secretary Information PPP-AJK, Muhammad Matloob Inqalabi said Saturday that the Constitutional Package for Gilgit-Baltistan will not have any negative affects on Kashmir Movement, rather it will help strengthen Pakistan's stance over the long-standing issue.
"The package is in accordance with the aspirations of people of the area, deprived of basic rights for the last six decades," he said while talking to APP. He said that the new arrangement would give voting rights to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, enabling them to take care of their political and administrative affairs.
He said, the heads of main AJK political parties had apprised Minister for Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira about their point of views over the Constitutional Package for Gilgit-Baltistan. These leaders discussed the package with the minister in detail, and he told them that the package was only meant to give basic rights to the people.
To a question, he said it would be wrong to say that the package would affect Pakistan's position on Kashmir in the United Nations, adding that historically and geographically Gilgit-Baltistan were part of Jammu and Kashmir and the current arrangement was a temporary one.
The PPP-AJK Secretary Information said that under the package, the Gilgit-Baltistan had not been given representation in the National Assembly and Senate, then how could these be part of Pakistan. "The people of the area have been given internal autonomy as per Pakistan's Constitution," he added.
Replying to another question, he said that those favouring AJK like set-up for Gilgit-Baltistan were ignoring the fact that there could not be two Presidents or Prime Ministers in a state. He was of the view that only Governor and Chief Minister suited for running the affairs of the state, and their appointment would not weaken Pakistan's stance over the Kashmir issue.
"If Azad Kashmir can have its own president and prime minister without affecting the Kashmir Movement, then how Gilgit-Baltistan, which will have a governor and chief minister, can have negative affect on it," he added. He said, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had promised to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan to give them all their basic rights, and now the Government of Pakistan had taken a step to fulfil her promise.
Matloob Inqalabi said that people of the Gilgit-Baltistan were happy with the decision, and thankful to Government of Pakistan. Hailing the appointment of Minister for Information, Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Qamar Zaman Kaira as acting governor of Gilgit-Baltistan, he said it was a welcome sign as he had served the area as Federal Minister and was fully cognisant of the problems and difficulties being faced by the people there.