Mines, minerals provincial subjects, says G-B CM

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Advocate Amjad Hussain Azar has maintained that mines and minerals are a provincial subject and should not be treated as the exclusive domain of the federal government, calling for stronger enforcement and monitoring of the region's mineral resources. He also backed the creation of new provinces wherever consensus exists, saying the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly had already passed a resolution demanding provincial status for the region. Speaking to the media in Karachi on Saturday, Azar said his government had completed its first 100 days and begun implementing the Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) manifesto. He highlighted efforts to ensure transparent recruitment and promote livestock, commerce, tourism and border trade, while disclosing that a public-private partnership unit had been established in Gilgit-Baltistan and that the United States had shown interest in investing in the region's energy sector. On the question of provincial autonomy, Azar argued that the federal government could not handle every matter itself and that provinces should be allowed to discharge their respective responsibilities. He said the mining and minerals sector particularly required effective enforcement and monitoring. The chief minister said the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly had passed a resolution seeking provincial status for the region and that the PPP supported this demand. He maintained that new provinces should be created wherever there was consensus, while the issue should not be pursued in areas where agreement had yet to emerge. Azar said his government had started fulfilling its promises and assuming the responsibilities of a democratic political administration. He added that work was underway to improve higher education, healthcare and education in Gilgit-Baltistan. Commenting on the country's economic difficulties, Azar said industrial activity had stalled and that industries could not operate sustainably on the basis of expensive thermal electricity. Hydropower, he said, was the cheapest source of electricity and offered considerable potential to support industrial growth. He said a public-private partnership unit had been established in Gilgit-Baltistan and disclosed that the United States had shown interest in investing in the region's energy sector. The chief minister also highlighted Gilgit-Baltistan's vast tourism potential, saying the region's economic opportunities should be developed so its people did not remain poor. He stressed the need to harness local resources to improve livelihoods and create better economic prospects. Azar also pledged to work towards ending load-shedding in Gilgit-Baltistan, asking residents to allow the government some time to address the problem. He said his government remained in contact with Gilgit-Baltistan residents living in Karachi and was attentive to their concerns. Taking aim at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) performance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Azar urged people to assess the province's 13 years under PTI-led governments by examining conditions across its different regions. He alleged that the party had failed to focus on governance and instead remained engaged in confrontations with political parties and state institutions. He said such an approach was bound to produce adverse consequences, arguing that the PTI had relied on popular slogans and political disputes rather than effective governance.