ISLAMABAD The round table conference organised by Jamaat-i-Islami Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) here on Tuesday demanded separate flag and national anthem for the region.

The joint declaration was adopted by the participants including members of political, religious parties, media persons and intellectuals belonging to Gilgit Baltistan.

The round table conference demanded the government to provide constitutional cover to the Gilgit-Baltistan empowerment and Self-Governance Ordinance 2009 and the ordinance needed to be approved from the democratically elected council of Gilgit-Baltistan.

The round table conference demanded that the ordinance should be converted into the interim constitution of the area similar to the Azad Kashmir Act 1974, and the political and judicial system of Gilgit-Baltistan should be on the pattern of Azad Kashmir. 

The chief minister elected by the masses of Gilgit-Baltistan should have the due powers of an elected chief minister, while the governor of the region should be appointed by the elected council of Gilgit-Baltistan, rather than by Islamabad.

The conference also demanded that the judges of supreme court and high court of Gilgit-Baltistan should be appointed after consultations with the CM.

The conference called for the appointment of governor Gilgit-Baltistan from Azad Kashmir, while the president of Azad Kashmir should be appointed from the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

The conference has also suggested steps to develop coordination and liaison between Azad Kashmir and the Gilgit-Baltistan region, so that the Kashmir issue could be resolved at the earliest.

Participants of the conference lamented that the government did not take the religious and nationalists parties of Gilgit-Baltistan on board before announcing the so-called empowerment package for the region and sought an apology from the government.