Srinagar: Pakistan is likely to accord all powers to Gilgit-Baltistan like that of its other four provinces, a media report said.
According to reports Attorney General for Pakistan, Anwar Mansoor Khan on Friday informed the Pakistan Supreme Court (SC) that Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) could not be made a full-fledged province but would be accorded all powers like.
He informed this to a seven-judge larger bench headed by the chief justice hearing a case pertaining to the Constitutional status of GB.
During the course of proceeding, the attorney general apprised that the GB government had been empowered in lawmaking and administration and moreover, the legal draft for granting him province like powers was being prepared which was in final stages.
To this the chief justice appreciated the efforts of the Federal government and remarked “this is commendable” adding, “the GB should be granted the same authority as other provinces have.
“Meanwhile, the GB deputy advocate general complained the bench that the draft had not been presented to them till yet. “We should be permitted to present our recommendations as well,” he appealed.
Subsequently, the bench directed authorities to call meeting in this regard at the attorney general’s office on December 13, and it would be headed by the attorney general to finalize the draft bill.
The committee comprises senior lawyers, Aitzaz Ahsan, Salman Akran Raja, Chaudhry Afrasiab, GB law minister and Kashmir Affairs secretary.
