Islamabad: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said his government would work on a priority basis to give Gilgit-Baltistan temporary Provisional Provincial Status. Khan made the remarks after 14 members of Gilgit-Baltistan arrived in the disputed area to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the cabinet.
According to the Dawn newspaper, “What will the new government do? First, we will work on temporarily giving the region the status of a province so as to end the feeling of deprivation prevalent (among the people). ”
India had criticized Pakistan for holding elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and said there was no valid basis for a change in the status of the area occupied by military force. India has made it clear to Pakistan that the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including Gilgit-Baltistan, is an integral part of India.
Elections for Gilgit-Baltistan’s 23-member assembly were held on November 15. Voting was postponed due to the death of a candidate in one seat. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has won most of the seats. Khan hopes that the new government of Gilgit-Baltistan will start a new tradition and set new standards for governance.
