GILGIT: The combined opposition in Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly on Tuesday announced to stage a sit-in outside the Parliament House in Islamabad on May 19 and 20 against the draft political and administrative reforms package approved by the federal government for the region.

They also decided to table a no-trust motion against Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman in the GBLA for his ‘failure’ to protect rights of GB people.

Addressing a press conference at Gilgit Press Club, opposition leader in GBLA Mohammad Shafi Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Raja Jahanzeb Khan, Pakistan Peoples Party’s Javed Hussain, Balawaristan National Front’ s Nawaz Khan Naji and independent Kacho Imtiaz Haider said the opposition parties had started joint struggle against PML-N government’s ‘anti-people’ policies.

Earlier, at a joint meeting of opposition parties chaired by Shafi Khan, the participants unanimously decided to step up their ongoing protests against the ‘conspiracies’ to deprive the local people of their constitutional and fundamental rights.

The opposition leader said the opposition parties had rejected the draft of political and administrative reforms package named ‘the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan Order 2018, which is going to replace the existing ‘GB Empowerment and Self Governance Order, 2009.

He insisted that under the reforms package all political, administrative and judicial powers had been transferred to the prime minster of Pakistan.

He said under the package, the PM had also been entrusted with powers to impose taxes on GB people without consent of GB representatives.

PPP’s Javed Hussain said the federal government did not consult GB representatives while deciding their fate.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2018