Islamabad (Online): Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Barjees Tahir Thursday said that a free, fair and transparent election in Gilgit-Baltistan is his top priority. Talking to media here, the governor said that he has taken charge of governorship of Gilgit and Baltistan by recommendations of Prime Minster Nawaz Sharif and approval of President Mamnon Hussain. He said that his appointment as the governor has been dragged into controversy added that statement of opposition leader Khurseed Shah was very…
Posts published in February 2015
By Shabbir Mir in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2015. GILGIT: Former Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) chief minister Mehdi Shah is entitled to privileges which only a sitting chief minister is entitled to, insiders told The Express Tribune on Thursday. According to insiders, Shah became entitled to a lifetime pension and a series of miscellaneous privileges through a decision passed by the G-B cabinet during the final year of his term as chief minister. However, little was…
ISLAMABAD: Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah on Wednesday warned the government against rigging in the upcoming polls in Gilgit-Baltistan saying that such an act would lead to new crisis in the country. Talking to media on Wednesday Shah showed astonishment over the conduct of PML-N government to create new controversies in the country. “It is beyond my comprehension why this government is bent upon inviting new troubles for itself”, he remarked…
By M A Mir in The Express Tribune, February 18th, 2015 MUZAFFARABAD: Almost a fortnight after it was suspended, trade between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar resumed peacefully on Tuesday. According to the Travel and Trade Authority (Tata), 28 trucks crossed the Line of Control (LoC) from Chakothi sector. “Twenty five trucks from Indian-administered Kashmir reached AJK, while three loaded trucks of goods from Azad Kashmir crossed the LoC towards Srinagar,” Tata officials said. The cross-LoC truck…
THE appointment of the federal minister for Kashmir affairs as governor of Gilgit-Baltistan has been criticised across the political spectrum. It is being described by political parties as evidence of the PML-N’s ‘pre-poll rigging’ in the region in order to create a tailor-made government in the upcoming legislative assembly elections.The PPP, which ruled the region under the previous elected set-up, is not happy with the appointment of the caretaker cabinet or the governor, while the…
By Shabbir Mir in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2015. GILGIT: Lack of funds at the disposal of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Election Commission may delay Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for May. “We had asked the government for Rs200 million but we have received only Rs13 million,” a commission insider quoted Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Tahir Ali Shah on Monday. The CEC reportedly said the shortage of funds has hampered poll preparations. The source added the commission…
by Jamil Nagri in Dawn, February 17th, 2015 GILGIT: The appointment of Chaudhry Muhammad Barjis Tahir, a PML-N loyalist, as governor of Gilgit-Baltistan set off a political storm in the region after he took oath of his office on Monday, but the incumbent refused to step down and claimed that he was still the ‘constitutional’ holder of the position. “I have not resigned as yet since the federal government has not informed me about my…
MUZAFFARABAD: Intra-Kashmir travel and trade through the Chakothi-Uri crossing point on the Line of Control (LoC) will resume on Monday. In order to avoid any law and order problem, authorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have persuaded the family and friends of Inayat Shah, a driver detained in India-held Kashmir (IHK) on drug trafficking charges, to call off their protest. Travel across the LoC takes place every Monday, while trade activities are carried out…
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has criticised the decision made by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government according to which a federal minister was appointed the governor of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and termed it another bid to allow premature rigging. In a statement issued on Sunday, Imran Khan said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was a player of fixed matches and added that the premier could only win matches by selecting his own umpire.The…
GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan police on Saturday claimed to have arrested nine suspected persons allegedly involved in graffiti praising Islamic State militant group, fighting in Iraq and Syria, and the bannedTehreek-i-TalibanPakistan. According to an official statement issued by the central police office in Gilgit here, the arrests were made in Diamer, Skardu and Shigar valley. The statement said that personnel of the Chilas city police station arrested four suspects during a raid. Theywere identified as Mohammad…
ISLAMABAD: Former Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah has termed the appointment of a federal minister as GB governor through an ordinance as retracting from whatever territorial autonomy the previous PPP government had given to the area in 2009. He further alleged that the step was meant to rig the upcoming general elections. Talking to The News, the former GB CM and a PPP activist said: “This step will deprive the people of the…