Better late than never: edit in the Weekly Baang, July 7-13, 2009

PML-N Gilgit-Baltistan’s  member, legislative assembly, Hafiz Hafiz-ur Rehman has said after coming to power the PPP government ahs started economic murder of the people of the region. He said after taking over the charge of the ministry of Kashmir affairs and northern areas Qamar Zaman Kaira has started using the ministry as his personal fief. He said chief executive Ghazanfar Ali Khan was responsible for the reduction in the budget as he was only concerned with his own personal interest. He said the federal government was least interested in the economic development of the region and during the last five years it has done nothing for the progress of the region. He said the withheld amount of the development funds for the region should be released immediately otherwise the PML-Q members should resign. We highly value the sentiments of Mr Rehman however he is also equally responsible for the mess in the region. Issuing statements to the press making tall claims would not be sufficed to resolve the people’s problems. Besides, the claim of resigning from the assembly by the PML-Q has no importance as the tenure of the house is already near completion. As far as Kaira, is concerned this is also not a new issue and his attitude and performance is not different from his successors. It had been worthy of praise had political leaders like Mr Rehman come to the fore and make efforts to take over the portfolio of the ministry of Kashmir affairs and northern areas and start struggle for it. It is time political leaders of the region launch struggle to end the over 62 years of deprivation and achieve the basic rights of the masses without any fear.