IF pronouncements made by Ali Amin Gandapur, Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs, are turned into reality, people of GB would get what they have been demanding since long and the pace of socio-economic development of the region would receive much-needed boost. According to him, Prime Minister Imran Khan would visit the area soon and announce grant of status of a full-fledged province to GB with full constitutional rights. He also enumerated a number of measures that the Government envisages for development of the backward region including establishment of Moqpondass Special Economic Zone under CPEC, an all-weather tunnel at Babusar Pass, setting up of medical and engineering colleges and improvement of health facilities.
The comprehensive package that the Federal Government has in store for GB is in line with aspirations of the people of the region, who still feel deprived and neglected despite announcement of reform packages and economic initiatives by the successive governments. They have been demanding similar autonomy that is being enjoyed by other federating units but their dream could not materialize due to apprehensions that grant of provincial status to GB might have connotations and ramifications for our stand on Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Hopefully, the Government would have carried out a comprehensive exercise to ponder over pros and cons of the new move. In fact, majority of people want merger of the area with Pakistan as fifth province and it has to be seen what the proposed arrangement means for them. At the moment, it is neither a province nor a state, rather semi-provincial status and that too becomes a mockery as the region is handled by a Ministry of the Federal Government. The proposal to give them representation in the National Assembly and the Senate would be in line with the demand of the people to give them fundamental rights. Apart from constitutional rights, the focus on improvement of socio-economic conditions of the people and improve/upgrade infrastructure could give a fillip to tourism promotion and upgradation of standard of living of the people. Gilgit-Baltistan is famous for its scenic beauty and creation of a dependable network of roads and highways, tunnels and incentives for establishment of quality of hotels and guest houses could change the fate of the region as such facilities would attract domestic and foreign tourists in large numbers. We hope that what the Minister has said is not just an election stunt, but practical measures would be taken to meet longstanding demands of people of GB.
