The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led government which claims for giving first time 'self-rule' for people of Gilgit-Baltistan, is yet to form the "Gilgit-Baltistan Council" even after 10 months of the reform package.
Though the selection of the council's six members has been completed four months ago, the other eight members including the Prime Minister was yet to be formed to complete the 15-member body which is considered a superior one as compared to Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly.
The delay in the formation of council was not only showing the interest of the party's high ups in Islamabad but also creating the sense of uncertainty about the fate of the new province's upper house which would be chaired by the Prime Minister, sources said.
According to sources, not only the formation of the new body but the government was yet to arrange a secretariat with requisite staffs in Islamabad for holding sessions of the council. Although the reform-package for Gilgit-Baltistan was not reflecting the real demand of people of the strategically located Northern Areas, the lack of implementation on the package was raising many questions.
However, Talking to Business Recorder, one of the selected members of the council claimed that the first session of the council would be held next month. He said President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday has directed the concerned authorities to arrange a secretariat with staffs to make the council functional.
During a meeting with Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah on Tuesday, the President has assured that until the allocation of land and construction of building for the secretariat as building on temporary basis would be arranged to start the council's business, he added. To save from further delay, he said, a meeting of the selected members of the council would held on Thursday, which would be chaired by Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). It is to mention here that the Council, headed by the Prime Minister, has the power to legislate on 55 subjects of detailed functions and procedures of running various organs of the Gilgit-Baltistan Government in the light of the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order, 2009.
The GB Assembly will formulate its own Rules of Procedures, while legislation on various subjects pertinent to governance will be done by the Council and Assembly in their respective jurisdiction. The Council set up under Article 33 of the Gilgit Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009 comprises of its Governor as the Vice Chairman and its Chief Minister as member with six elected parliamentarians from the government and an equal number from Gilgit Baltistan's Legislative Assembly.