GILGIT, Nov 9 Autonomy given to Gilgit-Baltistan will enable the people of the region to elect their government for the first time, says Governor Qamar Zaman Kaira.

Addressing a ceremony held here on Monday at the Degree College for Women, he urged the people to fulfil their responsibility and ensure a good turnout in the election.

Mr Kaira said that leaders of various parties were visiting the region as part of their election campaign, which showed that they had endorsed the Self-Governance and Empowerment Order of 2009.

He said reforms introduced by the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) had propelled Gilgit-Baltistan into the mainstream national politics.

He said that arrangement had been made to hold free and fair elections all over the region, adding that polling staff would be transported by helicopters to areas of heavy snowfall or extreme weather.

He said doctors and nurses were being appointed for non-functional hospitals and a PC-4 had been approved in this regard.

Pakistan Baitul Maal, he said, was planning to provide free meals at district headquarters hospitals.

He said that standard of education would improve because 540 non-formal schools had been handed over to the National Education Foundation, adding that it would also mean better salary for teachers.

Mr Kaira said the region was spending more than 15 per cent of its budget on education.

About Rs99 million had been allocated for providing transport to students living in remote areas, he said, adding that 33 buses would be distributed among colleges and schools.

Urging the people to encourage girls to pursue higher education, he said that the degree college would be upgraded to post-graduate level. He also said that poor students would be helped by Baitul Maal.

Earlier, talking to reporters after inaugurating an orphanage, Mr Kaira said fool-proof security arrangements had been made to ensure smooth elections.

Highlighting reforms introduced by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, he said President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and their team were taking forward their leaders' mission.

Mr Kaira said “I am grateful to all political parties for ... supporting the government in its efforts to develop the area,” he said.

He praised Baitul-Maal for establishing the orphanage.

The Baitul Maal, he said, should also help poor people of Gilgit-Baltistan to get medical treatment in other parts of the country if such treatment was not available in hospitals here.

He also instructed the Baitul Maal to designate its regional centre as a provincial office.

Briefing the governor on Baitul Maal's projects, its director said that initially 14 orphans would be provided shelter, food and education but later the centre would be expanded to accommodate at least 100 children.

MNA Akhunzada Chatan and the in-charge of the PPP's election campaign in Gilgit-Baltistan Chaudhry Manzoor also attended the function.