Gilgit Baltistan’s Three Current Issues,
DJ Mathal
Though Gilgit-Baltistan has no
representation I the Council of Common Interests (CCI), a few days ago Chief
Minister Hafiz Hafizur Rehman very confidently claimed that the issues relating
to the area’s shares in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would be
raised in the meeting of the CCI. It is beyond our comprehension how
the chief minister, who knows very well the system, made such a claim in
the first place.
The CCI holds its meeting after long delays
even though it has to meet after three months. Provinces are represented in the
CCI and national issues are discussed. But as Gilgit-Baltistan is not a constitutional province
of Pakistan, it has no representation in it and hence in many major decisions it has no say at
the national level ad its interests are compromised. Though Islamabad always
says that making Gilgit-Baltistan a province would complicate its policy on
Kashmir, there are no hindrances and either making GB a member of the CCI would
leave any negative impact on the issue of Kashmir. But despite making
promises with the people of Gilgit-Baltistan to give the area representation in
the CCI, the PML-N government is not in a mood to give a consideration to the
proposal.
It may be noted that the PML-N had also
promised to give representation to Gilgit-Baltistan in the NFC and IRSA. But
like many other such promises, these also remain unmet so far. If
Gilgit-Baltistan is included in the NFC, there would be no difference on the
policy of Islamabad regarding the issue of Kashmir but the backward area would
get its share of divisible pools form the federation and the money
can be utilized for the development of the area.
But irrespective of the good wishes and
sweet promises of Hafizur Rehman, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan should
understand it that Nawaz Sharif is not going to make any headway in giving
Gilgit-Baltistan more rights of governance powers during his remaining tenure.
About seven months ago, the prime minister formed a committee under the head of
Sartaj Aziz to come up with proposals to give Gilgit-Baltistan constitutional powers
including making it a province of Pakistan. However, after holding a few
meetings, the committee seems in hibernation as it neither presented its recommendations to
the prime minister nor seems interested to expedite the work. Unfortunately,
the attitude of the PML-N does not seem any different from the PPP which kept
the people of Gilgit-Baltistan in false promises during its five years of rule.
Though chief minister Hafiz has become a shuttlecock between Gilgit-Baltistan
and Islamabad and wants the federal government to give all need powers to the
area, his requests are not being taken seriously by the centre and the
establishment due to unknown reasons.
Even the PM-N government could not
fulfil its promise of starting work on the much-awaited reconstruction of
Gilgit-Skardu road. Though the chief minister has said that tenders would be
floated in march, his words cannot be taken seriously as in the past scores of
promises made with the people were never fulfilled. The successive governments
both of the PPP and the PML-N have exploited the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and
done nothing for the betterment of the people. Instead of doing anything and
changing the life of the masses, both the governments have been hands in glove
in bringing the people under taxation even though being a disputed territory
and out of the geographical and constitutional jurisdictions,
Islamabad cannot impose any kind of taxes o the people of the area. Fed
up with the unkept promises of the chief minister, the people of
Gilgit-Baltistan have launched a anti-tax movement after rejecting the chief
minister’s assurances. Though the chief minister has been doing his best, it is
all the federal government to be blamed for the unjustified taxation in the
area.
We are of the opinion that the system put
in place under the dubious autonomy order of 2009 has not given any
tangible powers to the area except crowning some individuals with the titles of
chief minister, governor and ministers. They are as toothless as the former
members of the erstwhile Gilgit-Baltistan council were. Just changing the name
from council to legislative assembly does not make any difference. Today the
chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan has no more worth of importance than Mehdi
Shah had during the PPP regime. Rehman may make scores of claims and
promises, his stance is hardly taken seriously in Islamabad where bureaucrats sitting
in the Kashmir affairs ministry still call the shots.
When it comes to our national interest, all
the key decisions are taken by rulers sitting in Islamabad without even
listening to the viewpoints of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Same was done
with the area regarding the CPEC project. It was initially stated that two
economic zones would be set up in Gilgit-Baltistan under the mega project but
when it was probed further it transpired that there was no such plan of the
federal government. Last months, some members of the legislative assembly and
the chief minister tried their best and even met the president in Islamabad to
get some good news but nothing came out of the efforts.
It is regrettable that no
breakthrough seems to be coming out for the satisfaction of the people
regarding three main issues of the region: withdrawal of the illegal tax,
ensuring the share of Gilgit-Baltistan in CPEC and construction of the
Gilgit-Skardu road. These are the three issues for which a united voice would
have to be raised from the platforms of all religious and political parties
irrespective of their differences on many other issues.
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