Posts published in December 2014

The writer is a senior research fellow at the University of Karachi. THE government in Gilgit-Baltistan is completing its five-year term tomorrow. The Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-governance Order 2009 provided a limited chance to the locals to govern their region for the first time. Following the first elections held after this presidential order, the PPP won most of the seats and became the single largest party in the legislative assembly.   However, the outgoing PPP…

GILGIT: The last session of the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) legislative assembly began here on Monday with Speaker Wazir Baig in the chair.   The term of the assembly ends on Wednesday.   The assembly adopted a resolution criticising remarks made by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rasheed and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif that GB not a constitutional part of Pakistan.   The resolution was tabled by PPP member Ayub Shah and Abdul Hameed Khan.…

By Shabbir Mir  in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2014. GILGIT:  A deal has reportedly been struck under the table between Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Chief Minister (CM) Mehdi Shah and opposition leader Janbaz Khan to nominate a ‘suitable candidate’ as caretaker CM for when the government completes its term.   Shah, who will step down on December 10, supposedly passed over most of his party members when choosing the person to replace him as the caretaker…

By Shabbir Mir  in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2014. GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) legislative assembly met on the first day of the last session on Monday as clouds of uncertainty loom over the future of the region.   The G-B government’s five-year term is set to end on December 10 but very little is known about if and how an interim set-up can take over.   The federal government’s silence over the lack of…

GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan government on Monday banned travel on the Karakoram Highway on the stretch passing through Koshistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at night-time after militant threats of attacks on passengers.   Sources told Dawn that Kohistan administration, in a letter two days ago, had informed the GB government of the militant threat. In the letter, the GB administration was asked to warn its people against travel on the 200 kilometer stretch of KKH in…

By Shabbir Mir  in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2014. GILGIT: A deal has reportedly been struck under the table between Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Chief Minister (CM) Mehdi Shah and opposition leader Janbaz Khan to nominate a ‘suitable candidate’ as caretaker CM for when the government completes its term.   Shah, who will step down on December 10, supposedly passed over most of his party members when choosing the person to replace him as the caretaker…

RAWALPINDI: Army chief General Raheel Sharif on Sunday met state councilor and minister for public security of China Guo Shengkun, Inter Services Public Relations said.   During the meeting, issues of mutual interest, regional security and measures to enhance bilateral defence and security collaboration were discussed.   Shengekun and other members of the Chinese delegation were briefed about prevalent situation in the region.   “Chinese dignitaries acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts towards fighting terrorism and regional stability…

MIRPUR (AJK): The anti-terrorism court which has given a decision against the editor-in-chief of Jang Media Group Shakeelur Rehman and others does not have territorial jurisdiction as Gilgit-Baltistan is not constitutional part of Pakistan, claimed a former chief justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Talking to this correspondent, the retired chief justice said that the judgment had created a new controversy on the constitutional and legal status of GB. Justice (r) Abdul Majeed Mallick…

  GILGIT: The term of the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) legislative assembly is going to end on Dec 10 and the federal government has not yet made amendment in the GB Empowerment and Self Governance Order, 2009, which could pave the way for the setting up of a caretaker government.   According to sources, GB Governor Peer Karam Ali Shah will host a farewell dinner for members of the outgoing assembly on Monday (Dec 8).   An…

by Ahmad Noorani   in The News, December 01, 2014 ISLAMABAD: Under several apex court judgments, convictions in absentia is illegal and if any official or authority tries to get any such order implemented, it would amount to violating the law and Supreme Court verdicts, says the country top legal brain Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan while referring to the Gilgit court’s recent decision of sentencing Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, Editor-in-Chief of the Jang Group, for 26 years imprisonment. He…