Changing Gilgit-Baltistan status controversial: Expert

ANI  |  Islamabad [Pakistan] 

The Government of Pakistan's reported move to give constitutional status to the region of without delcaring it as the country's fifth province, is at best controversial, a well known of peace and human rights has said.

In the article titled 'Storm in Gilgit-Baltistan', Rehman appears to be critical of the federal government's move to prepare a "highly controversial" scheme of constitutional reforms for (GB) without giving that area the status of a province like it has done with Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and believes that all stakeholders must be consulted to prevent a situation that could go out of control.

He says, "As if it did not have enough crises on its hands in the final days of its tenure, the government has stirred up a hornet's nest by preparing a highly controversial scheme of constitutional reforms for Gilgit-Baltistan (GB)."

He further states that wehen the The (NSC) has advised the to consult stakeholders on the draft measure titled 'Order, 2018', on May 3, why isn't it doing so.

"Any other observer might have said the same thing because, among other objections, a lack of consultation with the people concerned is writ large on the document," Rehman adds.

In his article, Rehman lists seven reasons why the 'Order, 2018' could invite opposition and objection , both in the short as well as the long term. These are as follows:

• The will (continue) oversee the management of Gilgit-Baltistan affairs through the federal instead of the as hitherto.

• The will perform in relation to GB the functions assigned to the of He will have the power to make laws for GB and a law made by him will override a law made by the territory's legislature, now called GB Assembly, after deletion of the word 'legislative' from its title.

• All Pakistanis recognised by the Citizenship Act of 1951 as well as residents and those holding will be citizens of the area (the only word used to describe GB, as the word 'province' is never used for it). This definition of citizenship will give Pakistanis from outside GB significant advantages over the natives.

• The order incorporates the fundamental rights (with additional constraints on the right to freedom of association and deletion of the reference to freedom of the press from the article on freedom of expression) and the Principles of Policy given in the Constitution of Pakistan.

• Also incorporated are the articles from the Constitution of Pakistan dealing with the definition of a voter and the election of members of the assembly (with some pruning of the parliamentarians' disqualification clauses).

• The shall not discuss "matters relating to foreign affairs, defence, and internal security" and the conduct of a

• No citizen of GB is likely to become the of the because only retired judges of Pakistan's and retired justices of high courts of Pakistan are eligible.

In his article, Rehman makes a case for the need for the to listen to the country's vibrant and opinionated student community as to what they have to say on the issue of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Recalling his participation in a recent seminar at a university in Lahore, Rehman described it as a "unique affair" in the sense that it was attended by students, representatives of the opposition as well as members and spokesmen of the GB government, and that there was appreciation of the students' point of view exhibited by the latter, which is "rarely displayed by the authorities anywhere else in Pakistan."

He said that representatives of the GB government appeared to even be apologetic about the conviction of Baba Jan, the hero, who has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, as also the incarceration of widely respected for violating the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Rehman said the passion with which the students, especially those hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan, voiced their views, reminded him of the time "when young men and women from the subcontinent went to study in in the last century and were encouraged by the environment of relative freedom to voice their people's political aspirations."

"Instead of being shown the rod every now and then, these students deserve to be listened to with due consideration," Rehman says in his article.

The draft order is the final outcome of a three-year exercise undertaken by constitutional committee appointed by former in 2015.

The draft order has faced a severe backlash from opposition parties, the and the

Rehman believes that not granting Gilgit-Baltistan the status of Pakistan's fifth province and not ensuring their representation in the and the is one of the many reasons for the fierce criticism of the draft order.

He believes that there is hope for the issue to be resolved on the basis of the declared intention of to safeguard the "right of self-determination for the people of in accordance with the United National Resolutions.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Fri, May 18 2018. 12:42 IST