GILGIT: Members of the opposition parties in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly have been made chairpersons of nine standing committees of the house.

According to separate notifications issued by the GB Assembly Secretariat, Speaker Amjad Ali Zaidi in excise of the powers conferred upon him under Rule 169 of GB Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, 2017, has appointed PPP member Sadia Danish as chairperson of standing committee on tourism, sports, culture, archaeology and youth affairs department, Balawaristan National Front’s Nawaz Naji chairman standing committee on education, PML-N’s Mohammad Anwar chairman standing committee on health and local government and rural development, Ayub Waziri of Islami Tehreek Pakistan chairman standing committee on food and PML-N’s Sanam Bibi chairperson standing committee on social welfare and women development department.

PPP’s Ghulam Shehzad has been made chairman standing committee on agriculture, livestock and fisheries department, Engr Mohammad Ismail of PPP chairman standing committee on planning and development department, PML-N’s Ghulam Mohammad chairman standing committee on forest, wildlife, environment, law and parliamentary affairs and JUI-F’s Rehmat Khaliq has been made chairman standing committee on works.

PML-N’s Mohammad Anwar has been notified as chairman public accounts committee.

Seven members of the ruling PTI and two members of its allied Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen have also been made either the chairpersons of the standing committees or the parliamentary secretaries.

All the heads of standing committees or parliamentary secretaries are entitled to get official vehicles and other allowances from government exchequer.

Meanwhile, GB Governor Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon on Sunday called the 8th session of the assembly on Monday (today), during which six members of the GB Council will also be elected on Nov 12.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2021