GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan Bar Council President Javed Ahmed Advocate hopes that the Supreme Court of Pakistan will ensure implementation of its verdict of 1999, guaranteeing fundamental rights to the people of GB.

The apex court is hearing a set of petitions seeking provision of political rights to Gilgit-Baltistan and implementation of its (SC) own verdict of 1999 to guarantee fundamental rights to the people of GB. The next hearing of the case will be held on Tuesday.

Mr Ahmed told Dawn that in the previous hearing of the case in August, PPP leader Atizaz Ehsan and noted lawyer Khawaja Haris had been selected by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar as special assistants in the case.

Mr Ahmad said in the last hearing, the CJP had made it clear that the case could not be delayed anymore. He said it was second time that a case regarding GB people’s rights was being heard by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

This time, he said the case was strong as the lawyers had vigorously put forth their arguments before the court.

He said the recommendations of the parliamentary committee headed by Sartaj Aziz, adviser to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, for settlement of GB status had also been submitted to the apex court.

Mr Ahmed said the committee had recommended that GB should be declared provisional province of Pakistan till settlement of the Kashmir issue; and its people should be given representation in the parliament and other federal institutions.

However, he said the last PML-N government imposed GB Order 2018, which was not acceptable to the people.

He said the apex court had been pleaded to fulfill demands of the GB people who have been calling for their constitutional rights for last 70 years. He said they had also demanded establishment of Supreme Court’s circuit bench in GB.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2018