GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly Deputy Speaker Nazir Ahmed Advocate on Monday constituted a five-member parliamentary committee to investigate alleged illegal appointments being made in the region’s departments despite a ban.

Nazir Ahmed, who was presiding over a session of the assembly’s ongoing pre-budget sitting, told the house that they could not remain silent on the revelations made by adviser on food Shamasul Haq Lone.

Ministers Fatullah Khan, Kazim Masum, Wazeer Saleem and opposition members Haji Rehmat Khaliq and Shahzad Agha are members of the committee, which will present its report in the house within two weeks.

Earlier, speaking on a point of order in the assembly, adviser on food Mr Lone alleged that appointments in various departments in the region were continuing despite a ban and that he had evidence that these appointments were being made without advertising the posts.

He informed the house that 42 posts in the education department and 11 in Astore deputy commissioner’s office were lying vacant, but advertisements were not being made to fill these vacancies. He alleged that recently seven persons had been appointed illegally in a government department. He asked under which law and whose direction these appointments had been made.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2021