President Signs Gilgit Baltistan Reforms Package

ISLAMABAD, Sep 7 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday signed the Gilgit Baltistan (Empowerment and Self Governance) Order 2009 aimed at introducing far reaching administrative, political, financial and judicial reforms in the Northern Areas. The President congratulated the people of Gilgit and Baltistan on the realization of yet another dream of emancipation. He recalled the reforms by the PPP in 1975 and again in 1994 and said he was pleased that the PPP government and reforms in Northern Areas were interlinked. Explaining the salient features of the Order, signed today Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar told the mediapersons that Gilgit Baltistan will now have an elected Legislative Assembly which would elect the Chief Minister. The Governor will be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. Till the election of the Legislative Assembly, the Minister of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas would be the Acting Governor, he said. The Chief Minister elected by the Legislative Assembly would be assisted by six Ministers and two Advisors. The Legislative Assembly would have twenty four(24) members who would be elected directly besides six women and three technocrats’ seats. It would have powers to make laws on sixty one subjects, he said. Farhatullah Babar said that there would be a Gilgit Baltistan Consolidated Fund and the annual budget would be presented to the Assembly and voted upon as was being done by the other …