GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Ski Association team on Saturday won both the ice speed skating and the 3rd ice hockey championships during the ongoing winter sports festival being held at the PAF Ski Resort in Naltar.

The Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts team clinched the 28th National Alpine Ski Championship.

Pakistan’s two-time winter Olympian Mohammad Karim of Pakistan Air Force won gold medals in both the slalom and giant slalom categories, but could not secure the coveted trophy for his team as remaining four medals were claimed by the skiers of GB Scouts.

Mir Nawaz of GB Scouts got silver medal in both the categories while his teammates Zahid Abbas earned bronze in slalom and Waqar Junior in giant slalom category.

NATIONAL PARKS TO BE SET UP: The Gilgit-Baltistan government on Saturday notified establishment of Nanga Parbat National Park and Himalaya National Park amid strong opposition by PPP and the PML-N. Prime Minister Imran Khan had performed inauguration of the two projects during his visit to GB in December last year.

The federal government has also approved deployment of Frontier Constabulary (FC) for three years under the GB Forest Act, 2019 and GB Wildlife Preservation Act 1975, for protection, management and conservation of forest resources, national parks, and wildlife.

According to a notification issued by the GB government, the Himalaya National Park will be established in Astore district, covering 1,989 square kilometres area in Mir Malik, Chota Deosai, Kala Pani, Minimerg and Qamari.

The Nanga Parbat National Parkwill cover 1,196sq km area in both the Diamer and Astore districts.

According to the notification, the GB forest, parks and wildlife department will manage the parks with the active participation of the local communities.

In another notification, the GB government has declared some important water bodies and watersheds as protected landscape.

These include Borith Lake in Gojal Hunza, Naltar Wetland Complex, River Gasho Lake and Sai Nullah, Juglote Gilgit, Darel Lake in Diamer, Hotto Spring and Nullah, Sirmik and Purkuta Nullah, Skardu.

Meanwhile, opposition Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and other regional parties opposed setting up of the national parks and deployment of FC in GB.

Opposition Leader in the GB Assembly Amjad Hussain Advocate told Dawn that it was a conspiracy hatched by the federal government to fail the “movement for right of property and right of rule of the GB people”.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2021