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GILGIT, Feb 23: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Maj (retd) Tahir Iqbal has advised members of the Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC), including its speaker, not to travel to Islamabad to attend workshops, seminars and symposia, informed sources say.
They said that the minister had conveyed this to organisations like the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) and IUCN-P which are going to organise a workshop on “good governance and legislation” for the Northern Areas Legislative Council members in Islamabad.
The minister, the sources said, had instead advised these organisations to arrange workshops and seminars in Gilgit.
Northern Areas Legislative Council members —Ghulam Mohammad of the PPP, Hafiz Hafizur Rahman of the PML-N and Engr Ismail -– told Dawn that it was an attempt to create a void between the NALC members and the federal government.
“We are elected representatives of the region and will not entertain any restriction in connection with the participation in workshops and seminars no matter where they are held,” they maintained.
The Northern Areas Legislative Council members said that they would participate in the proposed workshop in Islamabad.
The sources said that the AKRSP and the government were launching a good governance project in the Northern Areas for which the German government had allocated 2.2 million euros and these workshops are part of this project.
NEW HEAD: Members of the Gilgit Municipal Committee on Thursday elected its new chairman after dismissal of an appeal filed by former GMC head Zawar Fida Hussain in the region’s Chief Court.
Sources said that in the 29-member body – the region’s largest municipal committee, 17 members voted for Mohammad Ilyas Siddiqui as the new chairman and six voted for his opponent Dildar Hussain. Some members remained absent and one vote was declared invalid, presiding officer Qamar Shahzad said.
After being elected, the new chairman said he would make efforts to develop the Gilgit city on modern lines, adding that the city had suffered due to indifferent attitude of civic bodies in the recent past.
He said he would auction an untaxed luxury vehicle acquired by his predecessor from GMC funds though another vehicle, which was in good condition, was already at his disposal.
JOURNALIST’S RELEASE: Members of the Gilgit Press Club have hailed the release of journalist Suhail Qalandar and his friend after 50 days.
Press club president Khurshid Ahmad also praised efforts of the tribal administration for the release of Mr Qalandar.
