GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltis­tan Bar Council has urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa for an early hearing on a pending case in the Sup­reme Court regarding the im­­plementation of its verdict on the basic rights of the region.

In a letter to CJP Isa and other judges, the GB Bar Council (GBBC) stated that the citizens of Gilgit-Baltistan, as part of Pak­i­stan, have filed various constitutional petitions to enforce their fundamental rights.

It said that the Supreme Court had issu­­ed a verdict on Jan 17, 2019, giving the federal government two weeks to promulgate the “Gilgit-Baltis­tan Reforms Order 2019”.

The federal government filed a petition seeking more time for implementation.

In April 2020, the Supreme Court directed the registrar to schedule the main case after the Eidul Fitr break, along with miscellaneous applications, it added.

The letter requested the court to fix the case after winter vacations.

Simultaneously, a resolution passed by the GBBC urg­ed the Supreme Court to set the case for an early hearing.

A meeting of GBBC officebearers was held in December 2023, chaired by former vice chairman Khursh­idul Hassan Advocate to discuss various issues related to the enforcement of fundamental rights for the people and the independence of the judiciary.

The meeting addressed the pending adjudication of other constitutional petitions filed by the people of Gilgit-Bal­t­istan before the Supreme Court of Pakistan under Article 184(3) for the enforcement of their fundamental rights.

The members unanimously requested CJP Isa to expedite the hearing on the implementation petition and other pending cases, including appointm­e­nts in the GB Supreme Appellate Court.

On January 17, 2019, a seven-judge bench, led by then Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, issued a judgement on petitions challenging the Gilgit-Baltistan Order, 2018, and the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order, 2009.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2024