Opposition party blames ruling PML(N) of skipping Gilgit-Baltistan assembly sessions

The opposition parties in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of PoK has called for an early dissolution of Gilgit-Baltistan assembly on Wednesday following a prolonged absence of the ruling party members of the house.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) government in Gilgit-Baltistan has convened only 24 state assembly sessions in a year and further approved just 18 bills during their rule of 33 months.

As per an opposition member of the Gilgit-Baltistan legislative assembly, the elected government ministers do not attend the assembly sessions causing disrespect to the assembly.

"Government ministers do not come at all; they do not have any interest in the assembly. They think that they can run the administration through their ministers alone. They have no respect for the assembly", the opposition told ANI.

He further claimed that the opposition members always attend the assembly sessions.

" I think they should come to the assembly floor. The public has given us the mandate so that we could become the member of the assembly. All the opposition members attend the assembly but government ministers do not come to the assembly".

The ruling PML (N) party has been accused of embezzling the money allocated for the state budget for the purpose of conducting leisure activities

Another member of the Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly has accused PML (N) for not paying heed to the issue of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and of misusing the government property.

"They are not at all serious. They are using government vehicles and petrol, they are just roaming around. They are not paying any heed to the problems of the public in Gilgit-Baltistan related to CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) or their rights. It is a grave situation".

Earlier it had been reported that Gilgit-Baltistan is facing several environmental threats due to the development of the CPEC corridor threatening the lives of the citizens.

Further, another opposition member of the assembly said PML(N) supports only those who are rich and could wield the power of weapons to influence the decisions.

Due to the persistent demands of the rebellious legislators, Islamabad has now been forced to take note of this situation.

Gilgit-Baltistan is a part of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir and is under the occupation of Pakistan since 1947, and ever since then, Pakistan has been misruling the region.