Islamabad: A government committee formed to deliberate on the proposed provisional status for Gilgit-Baltistan has recommended changes in The Government of Gilgit-Baltistan Order, 2018, a news source reported. The recommendations were submitted before the seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar.
Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Anwar Mansoor Khan said the same recommendations would be forwarded to the federal cabinet. The bench directed all the stakeholders, including the AGP, to finalise draft of the amendments in relevant laws, and adjourned the hearing till Friday.
The committee has recommended that Gilgit-Baltistan be given the status of a provisional province, till the final settlement of the Kashmir dispute. Such a move, however, would require a constitutional amendment.
In case the constitutional amendment does not take place, an alternative move would be to amend The Government of Gilgit-Baltistan Order, 2018 in such a way that all fundamental rights as envisaged in the Constitution be given to the people of the area.
The federal cabinet had earlier put on hold the decision pertaining to the proposed provisional province status for Gilgit-Baltistan after Prime Minister Imran Khan approved in principle to change the status of GB.
Key government figures had tabled recommendations before the prime minister, who accorded approval to turn Gilgit-Baltistan into an interim province and directed officials concerned to present a summary in the cabinet meeting.
