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Posts published in August 2014

Dam-affected people neglected in GB: Dawn, Aug 24, 2014

GILIGT: Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Diamer district chapter has demanded of the Gilgit-Baltistan government to ensure fair distribution of compensation among the affected people of Diamer-Bhasha Dam project as it claimed that deserving people had been neglected in the money disbarment process. Talking to Dawn on Saturday, MQM district in-charge Haji Abdul Aziz said that a meeting held at Chilas on Friday demanded distribution of compensation on merit. He said that the workers and leaders of…

Rocking the boat: Rifts brew in PPP’s G-B chapter as Mehdi Shah loses popularity

By Shabbir Mir  in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2014. GILGIT: Internal dissent is reportedly brewing within the Pakistan Peoples Party in Gilgit-Baltistan with Chief Minister Mehdi Shah losing popularity amongst the party’s ranks. “There have been several corner meetings and it has been agreed to launch a joint struggle to oust Mehdi Shah,” a senior PPP leader told The Express Tribune on Saturday. “Jafar Shah has agreed to lead the party if assigned the…

MQM minister asks centre to repatriate AJK finance secretary: By Tariq Naqash in Dawn, August 23rd, 2014

MUZAFFARABAD: The parliamentary leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly, Mohammad Tahir Khokhar, has asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Establishment Division Secretary Abdul Rauf Chaudhry to recall AJK’s Finance Secretary Yousuf Khan who he said is “creating hatred between Kashmiris and Pakistanis”. Mr Khokhar, who holds the portfolios of transport and cooperatives ministries, made the demand in separate letters after differences on a host of issues…

After the ‘Quake: edit in The Express Tribune, August 22nd, 2014

The areas affected by the earthquake of 2005 are in many instances still in recovery mode. There are even families in remote areas still living in the blue plastic tents that have been their temporary homes since the disaster. In the days and weeks afterwards a total of $6.2 billion were pledged to help Pakistan with aid and relief as well as the necessary rebuilding. Some of the money pledged was used to set up…

Talking about devolution: Senate resolution on empowering G-B sparks hopes

By Shabbir Mir  in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2014. GILGIT: The resolution adopted by the senate on Tuesday to amend Gilgit-Baltistan’s (G-B) self-governance order to empower the de facto province has given hope to the region’s lawmakers and politicians. To shift powers from the G-B Council to its legislative assembly has been a longstanding demand of politicians here. The G-B Council is a 12-member body headed by the prime minister. It is equally represented…

AJK Public Service Commission reconstituted

By Tariq Naqash in Dawn, August 18th, 2014 MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has finally reconstituted the AJK Public Service Commission (PSC) by appointing its chairman along with eight of the nine members. However, the main opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has rejected the reconstitution, alleging that the appointments were made in the same way as had previously been carried out. Earlier, the AJK Supreme Court in February had upheld an…

Suffering official neglect: Kashmir’s forgotten forts and temples

By Shazia Mehboob  in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2014 ISLAMABAD:  A number of historical and archaeological sites in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) continue to face neglect in terms of documentations and preservation. The region abounds in centuries-old forts, temples and caves, however, most of these sites present a gloomy picture today after years of neglect. A research group of the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilisation (TIAC) has mapped 100 heritage sites in four…

Battle for AJK ehtesab chief’s post heats up: Dawn, August 7th, 2014

MUZAFFARABAD: Raja Ghazanfar advocate, who was appointed by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government as Ehtesab Bureau (EB) chairman, attended his office here on Wednesday, amid an impending legal battle by his predecessor Sardar Rafique Mahmood. The notification about the termination of contract of Mr Mahmood and his replacement by Mr Ghazanfar was issued, according to official claim, on Monday night, sometime between 8-9 pm. However, it was circulated in offices on Tuesday shortly…

Crisis brewing: Petrol shortage stops Gilgit city in its tracks

By Shabbir Mir  in The Express Tribune, August 7th, 2014. GILGIT: With the exception of only one petrol station, all others have run dry in Gilgit city due to a shortage of the fuel as a result of extended Eid holidays. Following the prolonged vacation, long queues of cars could be seen outside the city’s petrol pumps. However, supply soon declined and the pumps’ reserves ultimately ran dry. At the moment, Jehangir petrol pump in…

Business ties: G-B CM promises Chinese investors conducive environment

By Shabbir Mir in The Express Tribune, August 6th,2014. GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Chief Minister Mehdi Shah has promised foolproof security and a conducive environment for investment if Chinese businessmen turn to G-B. “I invite the business community of China to visit G-B, which has immense potential, and explore avenues for investment,” Mehdi Shah told an official Chinese delegation in Kashgar, China, according to a statement issued from the CM’s Secretariat. Shah, accompanied by several other…

Hindus, Sikhs advised to respect each other’s religious sentiments

Report in Dawn, August 5th, 2014 PESHAWAR: A single-bench of Peshawar High Court on Monday adjourned hearing in a case pertaining to a controversy between the Hindu and Sikh communities in Peshawar over a centuries old Hindu temple a portion of which the latter claimed was a gurdwara where they had worshiped for many years. The bench comprising Justice Mussarat Hilali asked members of both the communities to respect each other’s religious sentiments and also…