A ten-member cabinet for Gilgit-Baltistan was announced here on Friday. Announcement to this effect was made jointly by Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, Minister for Labour and Manpower Syed Khursheed Shah, Chief Minister of Gilgit and Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah here. The Gilgit-Baltistan cabinet consisted of six ministers, two Advisors and two Special Assistants.
Muhammad Jaffar was inducted as Senior Minister while Ali Sher, Engineer Ismail, Muhammad Ali Akhtar and Wazir Shakil as ministers. One member of JUI-F was also made minister. Sadia Danish and Aftab Haider were made Advisors while Nasir and Muhammad Musa Special Assistants. Mian Manzoor Wattoo told mediamen that the GB government was a coalition of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and its allies.
He said the federal government would take steps for the empowerment and granting rights to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. He said the passage of 18th Amendment Bill would ensure restoration of 1973 Constitution and help strengthen democratic institutions in the country. He said the credit for empowering the people of Gilgit and Baltistan as well as restoration of the Constitution, went to the PPP leadership.
Wattoo said it was a historic decision of the PPP to share the credit for the 18th Constitutional Amendment with other political parties. Federal Minister for Labour and Manpower Syed Khursheed Shah also spoke on the occasion. Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah congratulated President Asif Ali Zardari and his team for the passage of 18th Constitutional Amendment with consensus.