His Excellency President General Musharraf in this Diamond Jubilee Year of the Creation of Pakistan, on Tuesday announced landmark constitutional and development packages for the Northern Areas inhabited by more than one million people.
“All the administrative and financial powers of the Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Ministry (KANA) will be transferred to the Northern Areas,” the president announced while addressing a large gathering of government officials and other notables of the area at the Military Auditorium in Gilgit where he inaugurated the 18 MW power project built at Naltar, about 40 kms from here.
However, the judicial system currently functioning as an attached department of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas shall remain for the time being. “While the whole country is facing power shortage, this region will be one of the luckiest areas free of load-shedding,” the President said.
Under the new package, the existing Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC) would be upgraded as Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA). But currently the NALC is empowered to legislate only on 49 subjects in a 36-member council, which comprises 24 elected members, women and technocrats six each.
President Musharraf said that the new assembly would be empowered to elect its own head and that the Chief Executive of the House would be an elected member. He added that the new assembly shall prepare and approve its own budget forthwith.
He said that the Northern Areas Deputy Chief Executive would henceforth be called the Chief Executive of Northern Areas and the present Chief Executive /Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas would be the chairman, Northern Areas Government.
Contrary to the past practice, the elected assembly, after being empowered, would be able to move a no-confidence motion against the elected chief executive, speaker and deputy speaker of the assembly, the president said, adding that there would an Accountant General Office for the Northern Areas to carry out audit and account of the region.
One of the important announcements came after the president announced the creation of a new district in the region. “Hunza and Nagir sub-division would be the seventh district in the Northern Areas,” the president announced. He also announced the creation of two sub-divisions in the Baltistan region namely Dagoni and Raundo.
Musharraf said that the cases of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) pertaining to corrupt officials of the Northern Areas administration would be transferred from Islamabad to Gilgit. He also announced remission of agriculture loans up to Rs 50,000, which would benefit about 12,000 people. In addition, interest on loans of more than Rs 50,000 would be waived.
A boundary commission under Deputy Chairman Planning Commission will be set up to resolve the boundary issues between the Northern Areas and the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), he said.
President Musharraf announced to increase the regional development budget from Rs 6.5 billion to Rs 7.6 billion. He also inaugurated the expansion work of the Karakoram Highway (KKH), which would be carried out by the Chinese government up to Thakot Bridge.
The president will visit the Baltistan region on the second day of his visit to inaugurate Sadpara Dam.
Northern Areas is currently being governed by the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas through the Northern Areas Legal Framework Order (LFO) 1994. This new system would be incorporated in the regional LFO.
People from all walks of life accorded the most rousing reception to President Musharraf, not seen before in the history of this region.
Notes:
Fatimid Heritage Foundation, Geneva Peace Development Centre and Mountain Girls Education Development Program support development activities to enhance knowledge, conciliation, inter faith harmony, peace and global pluralism. It is an expression of love and devotion Ismaili Muslims have for His Highness Aga Khan Fatimid Imam Caliph, 49th direct lineal descendant of Prophet Muhammad through his cousin and son-in-law, Aly, the first Imam-Caliph, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet's daughter. Aga Khan is the rope of love and wisdom among interpretations of the faith, and bridge of confidence between West and Muslims.The FATIMID, Geneva Peace, and MGEDP activities are focused to promote a more secure, equitable and prosperous world in accordance with the vision of His Highness Aga Khan.
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