May 12, 2003	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 9, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, May 11: Twenty of the 28 Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC) members have supported the proposed Interim Constitution Act for the Northern Areas, sources told Dawn on Thursday.

According to a signed resolution faxed to Dawn offices here, two-third majority of the NALC has endorsed the bill moved by opposition leader Jaffar Shah Advocate, who has authored the draft of the proposed act.

The draft bill was submitted on Feb 6, to the Council’s Business Committee, which after discussion in its April 25 meeting decided to place it before the NALC for debate.

The council’s 17th session was held on May 5, but could not debate the bill or transact any business due to lack of quorum as majority of the members could not turn up owing to blockade of roads including the Karakoram Highway.

The sources said the council was likely to start debate on the bill in the third week of May.

The proposed bill suggests parliamentary form of government for the Northern Areas with its own elected president, prime minister, supreme court, high court, public service commission, advocate-general, auditor-general and election commission, etc.

It also envisages guarantee for protection, enforcement of fundamental rights to the people of region and proposes a parliament consisting of a legislative assembly (lower house) and a council (upper house) for Gilgit-Baltistan, officially known as Northern Areas.

The proposed act if debated and approved by the NALC would be sent to the federal government for final approval, the sources said.