GILGIT: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will address the joint session of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly and GB Council on May 27 (Sunday), where he will announce enforcement of the newly-approved Gilgit-Baltistan Order 2018, replacing GB Empowerment and Self governance Order, 2009.

According to a notification issued by the GBLA secretariat, Speaker Fida Mohammad Nashad had sent a summary to Governor Mir Gazanfar Ali Khan to request him to summon a joint session of the legislative assembly and GB Council on Sunday in Gilgit at 10am. The notification said Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will address the session.

An official source told Dawn that the PM would formally announce enforcement of the GB Order 2018. The premier is also expected to announce a financial package for the region.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties in GBLA have announced to start protests across the region against the order.

According to a press release, opposition leader Mohammad Shafi said the opposition parties in GBLA had decided to stage protests against the law from May 25. He termed the new order as black law.

“Through this order the prime minister of Pakistan has been empowered to decide on financial and legislation matters of GB, and we reject this provision,” he said.

He said combined opposition had been demanding that either GB should be declared constitutional province of Pakistan or be granted AJK-like status.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2018