PoK: Gilgit Baltistan minister vows to fight undemocratic attacks on regional government
Gilgit [PoK], March 20 (ANI): The government of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), which is illegally occupied by Pakistan, said it will oppose any undemocratic action taken by the federal government against its chief minister or other elected officials, reported Dawn.
Syed Sohail Abbas, the region’s law minister, has refuted the federal minister’s accusations that GB Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan used the region’s police and resources to protect PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
The GB chief minister and other ministers were being protected in Lahore’s Zaman Park by the region’s police force, claimed Abbaas.
He said that Usman Anwar, Punjab’s Inspector General of Police, had refuted reports of a shootout between GB and Punjab police outside Imran Khan’s Zaman Khan mansion in Lahore.The police officers in the area, according to the GB chief minister, were for his security in Lahore and not for Imran Khan’s security, Dawn reported.
He added that the chief minister and other ministers had a right to travel to Lahore under police protection and official etiquette in order to meet with party chief Imran Khan.Syed Sohail Abbas said, “The GB government did not commit any unlawful act and the federal government has no ground to take any legal and constitutional action against Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan. Gilgit-Baltistan is a sensitive region, and it is governed through GB Order 2018. Under these rules, the federal government has no authority to take action against the region’s government.”
According to item 102 of the GB Order 2018, he claimed there were no justifiable reasons to declare an emergency in the area.
He refuted claims that the Gilgit-Baltistan police had used tear gas at Imran Khan’s Saturday hearing at the Judicial Complex in Islamabad.
According to a report published in Dawn, the GB minister said that the federal government ceased providing development, non-development, and wheat subsidy funds for the area, adding that this has left the populace short of money.He added that the federal government only denied the people of GB their proper portion of the budget because of political issues, adding that the central government also intended to raise wheat prices in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Meanwhile, a statement issued by Ali Taj, spokesperson of the GB minister, read, despite repeated rebuttals by the chief minister and IGP Punjab, the constant attack on the GB government and police by the federal government is very unfortunate and condemnable. He said targeting a highly sensitive region of the federation is akin to weakening the state for political interests. Ali Taj said. “The federal ministers and their stooges should apologise to the people of GB and its police department.”He warned of dire consequences If the federal government entered into a misadventure with the elected GB government.
He asserted that the Supreme Court of Pakistan must first approve any amendments to the GB Order 2018 and that overthrowing the PTI-led Gilgit-Baltistan government would be an undemocratic action, as it enjoys a two-thirds majority in the GB Assembly.The PTI and affiliated party members are unified and have expressed confidence in the chief minister, he continued, thus the federal government is in no position to introduce a vote of no confidence against him, Dawn reported. (ANI)
