Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman on Tuesday said GB is not part of Jammu and Kashmir but it is part of the lingering dispute.

“Gilgit-Baltistan is not part of Kashmir but it is part of Kashmir conundrum. Granting maximum rights to the region and Azad Jammu Kashmir will be beneficial for the issue. The resolution for making GB as fifth province has been adopted in the local assembly with majority vote and I also back it,” he said this in an exclusive interview with Daily Times.

“Two projects, including 400 kilometre road and 180 megawatt power house will be constructed in Gilgit-Baltistan under CPEC,” he said. “When we came to power then police had only one fool proof jacket and no armoured personnel carrier was available with them. Even a thing like CCTV camera was not installed in any part of the province. Due to this crimes were committed and no evidence became available about the crimes,” he said.

“We placed our focus on two to three things soon after coming to power. I spent Rs 700 million on police and provided them state-of- the-art equipment. There are 3 cities which are called safe city in Pakistan and GB is one among them,” he underlined.

Recruitments in police have been made above sects, he said, adding not a single terror incident had taken place in the province for the last one-and-half year.

As many as one million tourists had visited GB last year due to peace and tranquillity, he pointed out.

“We will soon find solution to give representation and concessions to GB at par with other provinces. The GB should be given as much powers as other provinces wield.”

He said further a summary would be forwarded to the federal government through the Kashmir Affairs Ministry within two months and later it will be sent to joint parliamentary session after it is approved by the government. The matter of giving GB representation in National Assembly and Senate would be put to debate there. Following the completion of this process, people of GB would get representation in Senate and National Assembly, he observed.

The GB CM said as per constitution the Kashmir issue is affected if Article 1 is amended. He observed that the Kashmir issue has three units. One map has been agreed upon by combining Azad Kashmir, the Indian-held Kashmir and GB, he added. China has never said anything with reference to GB so far. Border settlement was made during the Ayub Khan’s regime, he said, adding, “Certain areas had gone to them and some areas had come to us. It is mentioned in this settlement if decision of Kashmir issue comes wrong through plebiscite then talks will be held afresh.”

“When we came to power then power production in GB was 84 megawatt while its demand is 350 megawatt. We augmented electricity production by 47 megawatt through different projects,” he added. Two power projects with capacity of 180 megawatt would be set up under CPEC, he pointed out. 400-kilometre Chandra road from GB to Chitral has been approved, he said.