NA Legislative Council given Assembly status

GILGIT—President Gen Pervez Musharraf has given the Northern Areas Legislative Council a Legislative Assembly status and said that all administrative and financial authority would be shifted to Northern areas from Ministry of Kashmir Affairs Islamabad.
Addressing the elected public representatives and elders here on Tuesday President Musharraf announced that NA legislative council would be Given NA legislative Assembly status and said that all administrative and financial authority would be handed over to NA LA from Ministry of Kashmir Affairs Islamabad.
President also announcing important reforms for the Northern areas said that Chief Executive would be an elected representative from the Northern areas and the NA LA would be authorized to bring a no confidence move against the Chief Executive, Speaker and Deputy Speaker and it would be responsible for preparing and approving the annual budget of the Northern areas.
The President said that the Chief Secretary Northern Areas would has the authorities of Principal Account and it has been decided to award the post of Accountant General Northern Areas to him aimed to run the audit and accountant system. There would be one Additional Chief Secretary to run audit and account system and the Public Accounts Committee would be functional under his supervision.
The President has also increased the annual development budget for the Northern Areas from 6.5 billion to 7.6 billion, announced the Boundary Commission for solving all the disputes in the limits of NWFP. The President also announced to conduct the hearing of all cases of NAB belonging to Northern Areas in the Northern Areas instead of Islamabad.
He also announced the establishment of a new Sub-Division in Baltistan comprised on Taghoni and Vindho, adding that a decision regarding the construction of seventh District of the Northern Areas comprised on Hunza Nagar has been taken and the announcement would be made after agreeing on the name of the District. The President said that one thousand new vacancies would be created in the Northern Areas.
The President on the occasion announced to write-off the agriculture loans upto Rs. 50,000 in the Northern Areas and also announced to write-off interest on agriculture loans of SME Banks.
Earlier, President General Pervez Musharraf inaugurated 18 Megawatt Niltar Power House constructed with Pak-China collaboration in Gilgit. President Musharraf on the occasion said that Gilgit became the first city of the country where loadshedding has been completely eliminated.
He said that now it is the duty of the people of the Northern Areas to maintain peace in their respective areas and reject the anti state elements. Later. President left for Sukardu from Gilgit on Tuesday afternoon on his two day official visit.
President General Pervez Musharraf Tuesday announced a package, giving maximum financial and administrative autonomy to the Northern Areas and elevating status of its Legislative Council to the Assembly.Under the package the Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA) will now have the powers to prepare, debate and pass its annual budget and development plan.
“Most of the powers presently being exercised by the Ministry of Kashmir and Northern Areas would be transferred to the new chief executive and the legislative assembly under the package, the President said, amidst a thunderous applause by the people here at the FCNA Auditorium. Also the post of the current Deputy Chief Executive of Northern Areas has now been upgraded to Chief Executive, empowered to exercise full administrative and financial authority. The Minister for Kashmir and Northern Areas, who currently holds the charge of Chief Executive will become Chairman of Northern Areas, said the President, who flew into the scenic valley earlier in the day.
Addressing the notables of the area, he said that most of the 52 proposals prepared by the Northern Areas Legislative Council have been approved by the government, adding, the new measures would promote greater democracy in the area.—Agencies
He said this will usher in a new era of maximum autonomy for the people of the NAs, fulfilling their long-standing demand. The Chief Executive, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of NALA can now also resign or face a no-confidence motion, which is a step forward towards greater democracy, the President said.
President Musharraf underlining the need for fast-track socio-economic uplift of the Northern Areas said, the budgetary allocations for NAs which stood at Rs. 800 million in 1999 have now crossed Rs. 7.5 billion.
He said in future the finance ministry would make a single entry budgetary allocations for the Northern Areas, which would be utilized by the NA authorities themselves.
The President said all powers would be devolved down to the grassroot level, making the people determine their own destiny. He said necessary checks and balances would be introduced to ensure judicious and transparent use of financial allocations for benefit of the common man.
The President strongly urged the elected representatives for exercising honesty and showing commitment in the utilization of budgetary allocations only for the socio-economic uplift of the people, specially at the grassroot levels.
President Musharraf said the Legislative Assembly would be empowered to move No-Confidence Motion against the Chief Executive, Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly. These top public office holders will also have the option to tender resignations, he added.