Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan grants provisional provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan

[Saiyan0321]

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan grants provisional provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan​

Fulfills the long-standing demands of the people

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan formally announced the ‘provisional provincial status’ for Gilgit-Baltistan on Sunday at a public gathering in Gilgit held to mark the 73rd Independence Day of the region.
The government has decided to “grant Gilgit-Baltistan the provisional provincial status which was a long-standing demand of the people of the region”, PM Imran Khan proclaimed. The decision “has been taken within the framework of UN Security Council's resolutions”, the premier said.

GB’s Independence Day​

In his speech, PM Khan also paid tribute “to GB scouts and shuhada (martyrs) who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the region”. The people of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) celebrate their independence from the Dogra dynasty on November 1, 1947, when the region was liberated while Baltistan was freed in 1948 after a fierce battle. Gilgit-Baltistan’s independence was “achieved through brutal running battles by a handful of mostly civilian fighters led by the Gilgit Scouts” wrote Afzal Ali Shigri, former IGP Sindh who hails from GB.

Equal constitutional rights​

Pakistan’s top ministers hailed the decision, saying that PM Imran Khan has kept his promise made to the people of GB. Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry, congratulated the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and said: “The residents of GB would now enjoy full constitutional rights as granted to other provinces.”
Since coming into power in 2018, the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) government had assured full constitutional rights as well as equal economic opportunities for the people of GB to put an end to the decades-long deprivation and open up new avenues of development.

In 2019, the country’s top court also ordered to grant fundamental rights to residents of GB and ruled that the powers of the judiciary also be extended to the region. GB was granted a status similar to provinces and created its own provincial assembly with offices of governor and chief minister after 2009 Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self Governance Order.

Residents of GB welcome the move​

The people of Gilgit-Baltistan greatly appreciated PM Khan’s announcement that fulfils the “long-standing demand of the people of GB” who “fought a war to join Pakistan”. Talking to Gulf News, Yasir Hussain, a student of International Affairs and a GB scholar, said “the news of the provincial status announced on the day of Independence means double celebration for the people of GB”. The “momentous decision has broken the region’s politico-constitutional limbo after 70 years” and offers GB representation in National Assembly and Senate that will help address the political grievances as well.
Altaf Ahmed, a resident of Gilgit city who is running tour company, says the “full provincial status of GB would invite more tourists, cerate jobs and business opportunities for the youth as well as improve economic development especially under CPEC projects.”

GB’s provincial status represents the wishes of the people​

While some analysts are critical of the latest move claiming the action might weaken Pakistan’s standpoint in the UN, others term the provincial status a “political masterstroke” and a “true reflection of the wishes of the people of GB”.
Yasir Hussain, former fellow at Stimson Center Washington DC, believes the PTI government’s decision “won't affect Pakistan's standing on Kashmir issue at United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP)” as it is in accordance with UN resolution to respect the wishes of the people. The fact that it is a “provisional status means it is open for a plebiscite or any other UN recommendation, in any suitable time”.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan grants provisional provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan

Fulfills the long-standing demands of the people

gulfnews.com

 

[Saithan]

Congratulations

 

[VCheng]

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan formally announced the ‘provisional provincial status’ for Gilgit-Baltistan on Sunday at a public gathering in Gilgit held to mark the 73rd Independence Day of the region.
The government has decided to “grant Gilgit-Baltistan the provisional provincial status which was a long-standing demand of the people of the region”, PM Imran Khan proclaimed. The decision “has been taken within the framework of UN Security Council's resolutions”, the premier said.

Key word: PROVISIONAL.

 

[Saiyan0321]

Key word: PROVISIONAL.

Has to be provisional. As much as we want it permanent, it would be extremely blatant of an annexation. Right if they afford all the autonomy under the 18th amendment to GB then that would be serious autonomy and governance allotted to the region. This is why i am against the 'China are behind this' Theory.

An area that is ruled in a colonial fashion is far more easier to develop and control than a region that is ruled under the 18th amendment and this can be seen in the stark differences of projects being dealt in Azad Kashmir pre the 13th amendment to the 1974 AJK constitution and post 13th amendment 1974 AJK constitution. Autonomy and proper governance will always increase the paperwork and will always make things more difficult to process and the chinese are not used to this at all and will be frustrated and secondly they found no issue in building projects before CPEC over there as they did. Ignoring the Kurakkaram Road, they have build other internal road networks in GB as well connecting various districts so frankly i dont see securing strategic value of GB since whether Pakistan will declare the region as a province or not, India will repeatedly claim it. It wont change the nature of the dispute at all and the Chinese investments arent any safer than they were before. The nature of security has also not changed.

Governance brings procedures and rights brings legal protections and where the government could just grab land or take land and pay whatever they desired, this would stop if full 18th amendment status is given just like we witnessed in Lahore. The Orange line became a mess due to court cases on land acquisition and historical value of buildings. The chinese were equally very frustrated. We are giving this to GB that they will become masters of their lands like other provinces and the projects will have to be greenlighted by the elected GB government. I sincerely cannot see the Chinese hands here. Those guys hate this western governance and democracy and they are telling Pakistan to implement that? Yeah that is not happening