GB's rights should be protected under any possible constitutional amendment, says Bilawal at election rally
PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Monday that any possible constitutional amendment should provide protection to the rights of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
“If any constitutional amendment has to be made anywhere, it is very important that the rights of GB are protected under it,” he said while addressing a rally in GB’s Shigar while addressing a public gathering ahead of June 7 elections in the region.
In this connection, he said, “We can take forward their struggle for their right of rule (haq-i-hakimiyat)”. For this, the first step would be to hold elections in GB and the rest of Pakistan at the same time, he said.
“When elections are held in Gilgit-Baltistan and the rest of Pakistan at the same time, progress in GB’s struggle for right of rule will be made in the true sense,” he added. “If we want to ensure the right of rule [for GB], demands or aims should be to hold elections in GB at the same time as general elections in Pakistan.”
Speaking of right to ownership (haq-i-malkiyat) for GB, he claimed that the difference between the PPP and other parties was that “they want to run everything from Islamabad; they want to run Gwadar from Islamabad, they want to run Karachi from Islamabad”.
Addressing the rally’s participants, Bilawal said, “You have been facing it. You have faced the consequences of your fate being decided in Islamabad.”
He asserted that the people of GB should make decisions for the region.
The PPP chairperson also questioned the need for the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and GB.
More to follow
